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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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This comic is the fourth of five consecutive comics published in the week before and during the {{w|solar eclipse}} occurring on Monday, {{w|Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017|August 21, 2017}} which was visible as a total solar eclipse within a band across the {{w|contiguous United States}} from west to east and visible as a partial eclipse across the entire contiguous United States and beyond. The other comics are [[1876: Eclipse Searches]], [[1877: Eclipse Science]], [[1878: Earth Orbital Diagram]], and [[1880: Eclipse Review]].
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{{incomplete|More on birds/animals behavior during an eclipse. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
  
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During an eclipse, birds and other animals show atypical behavior like they do in the case of the darkness in the night and the following sunrise. Birds stop singing during totality, then greet the return of the sun with a "dawn chorus". Owls, however, become active as do mosquitoes. But it's not easy to find studies about this behavior because the main focus lies mostly on the eclipse itself. And total solar eclipses are rare -- roughly every 18 months and then mostly not in the same region of this world. A nice article can be found here: [https://academic.oup.com/astrogeo/article-pdf/42/4/4.4/436602/42-4-4.4.pdf Effects of the 2001 total solar eclipse on African wildlife]. Hippos were so confused that their daily routine even on the next day was not back to normal. Baboons stopped feeding and a sun squirrel that fed in the afternoons didn't do so, while other larger animals like crocodiles, zebras, or lions were not affected. Butterflies settled and did not restart flying, mosquitoes appeared and settled before reappearing in the evening. Also, bees moved into a hive and didn't come out until the next morning.
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This comic is the fourth consecutive comic with {{w|solar eclipse}} as the topic. On the day of this comic's release, Monday, {{w|Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017|August 21, 2017}}, a total solar eclipse was visible in totality within a band across the {{w|contiguous United States}} from west to east. The other comics are [[1876: Eclipse Searches]]. [[1877: Eclipse Science]], and [[1878: Earth Orbital Diagram]].
  
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After the 2017 eclipse, NASA published some [https://www.nasa.gov/feature/2017-solar-eclipse-highlights highlights]. A video presents chirping crickets in Jefferson City, Missouri. The California Academy of Sciences supports a citizen science project about [https://www.calacademy.org/citizen-science/solar-eclipse-2017 life responds].
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The comic is making a joke about how birds panic during eclipses, and [[Cueball]] tells [[Megan]] that this will happen. However, instead of just cheeping and screeching in a different pattern than birds normally do, because of the sun disappearing at an unexpected time of day, they begin to prepare to make a sacrifice to appease their gods, similar to how ancient cultures like the {{w|Aztecs}}, [https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/8/18/16078886/total-solar-eclipse-folklore are said to have acted].  
  
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In this comic, [[Cueball]] tells [[Megan]] that this will happen. However, instead of just cheeping and screeching in a different pattern than birds actually do during an eclipse, in the comic, the birds begin to prepare to make a sacrifice to appease their gods, similar to how ancient cultures like the {{w|Aztecs}} [//www.vox.com/culture/2017/8/18/16078886/total-solar-eclipse-folklore are said to have acted]. Megan remains strangely nonchalant, offering only a clichéd admiration of nature as the birds around her use fluent English to set up a sacrificial ritual.
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During an eclipse birds and other animals are reported to show atypical behavior. Birds stop singing during totality, then greet the return of the sun with a "dawn chorus". Owls, however, become active as do mosquitos.  
  
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In the title text, it turns out that the birds are about to sacrifice Megan, and Cueball tells them to stop. But Megan tells him it is OK as she wants to try experiencing being carried to a blood cauldron as she won't get another chance until the next eclipse in the US on {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|8th of April, 2024}}. (A small region around Carbondale, Illinois [//nationaleclipse.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/x-marks-the-spot-two-total-solar-eclipses-in-seven-years/ will experience]  two total eclipses in 7 years).
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In the title text it turns out that the birds are about to sacrifice Megan, and Cueball tells them to stop. But Megan tells him it is OK as she wants to try experience of being carried to a blood cauldron as she won't get another chance until the next eclipse in the US on {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|8th of April, 2024}}. (A small region around [https://nationaleclipse.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/x-marks-the-spot-two-total-solar-eclipses-in-seven-years/ Carbondale, Illinois] will experience two total eclipses in 7 years).
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:[Cueball and Megan standing together looking to the right.]
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:[Cueball and Megan is standing together looking right.]
 
:Cueball: I heard that during an eclipse the birds all freak out.
 
:Cueball: I heard that during an eclipse the birds all freak out.
 
:Megan: I guess we'll see!
 
:Megan: I guess we'll see!
  
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:[Beat panel, the white background sky turns at the top slightly darker.]
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:[While they keep standing in the same position, the white background sky turns darker. Beat panel.]
  
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:[As the sky turns to dusk sounds can be heard. It's written above Cueball and Megan inside squiggly bubbles.]
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:[As the sky turns to tusk, the birds are heard. The birds are off-panel, and their sounds are written above Cueball and Megan inside squiggly lines.]
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:Chirp Chirp!
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:Bird 1 off-panel: Chirp Chirp!
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:Chirp!
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:Bird 2 off-panel: Chirp!
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:Peep peep peep!
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:Bird 3 off-panel: Peep peep peep!
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:Squawk!
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:Bird 4 off-panel: Squawk!
  
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:[The sky is now nearly dark, more at the top of the panel. The sounds continue, written in similar bubbles.]
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:[The sky is now very dark, more so at the top of the panel. The birds continues to make sounds off-panel as before.]
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:Chirp!
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:Bird 5 off-panel: Chirp!
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:'''Clank clank clank'''
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:Bird 6 off-panel: Clank clank clank
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:The time is upon us!
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:Bird 7 off-panel: The time is upon us!
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:Peep!
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:Bird 8 off-panel: Peep!
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:'''Kachunk'''
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:Bird 9 off-panel: Kachunk
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:Prepare the blood cauldron!
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:Bird 10 off-panel: Prepare the blood cauldron!
 
:Cueball: Wow.
 
:Cueball: Wow.
 
:Megan: Isn't nature amazing?
 
:Megan: Isn't nature amazing?
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[[Category:Animals]]
 
[[Category:Animals]]
 
[[Category:Astronomy]]
 
[[Category:Astronomy]]
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[[Category:Total Solar Eclipse 2017]]
 
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[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
 

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