Salt on a bird's tail (US 22)

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

MATTHEW WILLIAMS to me, 19-11-2003:

>> "Two sensible questions I ask, and get two SENSELESS answers!
>> I'm beginning to think I left a screw loose!"

> Gyro is talking about his machine that can answer "any" question!
> This untitled story was originally printed in Uncle Scrooge #22. 
> I was tickled to hear a friend tell her son the other day that 
> putting salt on a bird's tail was a surefire way to catch a bird!

Isn't "putting salt on a bird's tail" a common phrase that already 
existed before Barks used it in this story? 

If so, where does this phrase come from? And what's the original 
thought behind it? (Why salt, for example?)

> This short has always been one of my favorites!

Mine too! It's hilarious! (And a bit philosophical, I think.)

--- Daniël