"February 21st, 1809. Went out to Hampstead this forenoon. A horse had
dropped down in the street, in convulsions; and dying, it was dragged
out to Hampstead, and skinned. I ventured cautiously within thirty yards
of the carcase, where three or four dogs, and twenty or thirty vultures,
were busily tearing and devouring. Seeing them take no notice, I
ventured nearer, till I was within ten yards, and sat down on the bank.
Still they paid little attention to me. The dogs being sometimes
accidentally flapped with the wings of the vultures, would growl and
snap at them, which would occasion them to spring up for a moment, but
they immediately gathered in again. I remarked the vultures frequently
attack each other, fighting with their claws or heels, striking like a
cock, with open wings, and fixing their claws in each other's heads. The
females, and I believe the males likewise, made a hissing sound with
open mouth, exactly resembling that produced by thrusting a red hot
poker into water; and frequently a snuffing like a dog clearing his
nostrils, as I suppose they were theirs. On observing that they did not
heed me, I stole so close that my feet were within one yard of the
horse's legs, and I again sat down. They all slid aloof a few feet; but
seeing me quiet, they soon returned as before. As they were often
disturbed by the dogs, I ordered the latter home: my voice gave no alarm
to the vultures. As soon as the dogs departed, the vultures crowded in
such numbers, that I counted at one time thirty-seven on and around the
carcase, with several within; so that scarcely an inch of it was
visible. Sometimes one would come out with a large piece of the
entrails, which in a moment was surrounded by several others, who tore
it in fragments, and it soon disappeared. They kept up the hissing
occasionally. Some of them having their whole legs and heads covered
with blood, presented a most savage aspect. Sometimes I observed them
stretching their neck along the ground, as if to press the food
downwards."
The Secretary Bird.
The Secretary Bird, so called from the possession of feathers thought to
resemble pens behind the ear, feeds on snakes and other reptiles. Le
Vaillant, who in dissecting one of these birds, found in his crop eleven
large lizards, three serpents each a yard in length, eleven small
tortoises and a great quantity of locusts and other insects, once
witnessed a contest thus referred in the "Percy Anecdotes":
"When the secretary approaches a serpent, it always carries the point of
one of its wings forward, in order to parry off its venomous bites;
sometimes it finds an opportunity of spurning and treading upon its
antagonist; or else, of taking him upon its pinions, and throwing him
into the air. When by this system it has, at length, wearied out its
adversary, and rendered him almost senseless, it kills and swallows him
at leisure. On the occasion which Vaillant mentions, the battle was
obstinate, and conducted with equal address on both sides. The serpent,
feeling at last his inferiority, endeavoured to regain his hole; while
the bird apparently guessing his design, stopped him on a sudden, and
cut off his retreat by placing herself before him at a single leap. On
whatever side the reptile endeavoured to make his escape, the enemy
still appeared before him. Rendered desperate, the serpent resolved on a
last effort. He erected himself boldly to intimidate the bird, and
hissing dreadfully, displayed his menacing throat, inflamed eyes, and a
head swollen with rage and venom. The bird seemed intimidated for a
moment, but soon returned to the charge; and covering her body with one
of her wings as a buckler, struck her enemy with the bony protuberance
of the other. M. Vaillant saw the serpent at last stagger and fall; the
conqueror then fell upon him to despatch him, and with one stroke of her
beak laid open his skull."
The Kite. The Osprey. The Buzzard.
The Kite is common in Europe and is sometimes seen in Scotland. It is a
bird of the Hawk kind and may easily be distinguished from other birds
of prey by its forked tail and the slow and circular eddies it describes
in the air whenever it spies its prey. It measures about two feet in
length. The Osprey is common in Europe and America. It feeds principally
upon fish, in pursuit of which it frequents the sea coast and the
borders of lakes and rivers. It is about two feet in length. The common
Buzzard is rather smaller, measuring twenty or twenty-two inches. It
nests on high trees and watches on overhanging branches for any prey
that may pass beneath. The Marsh Harrier which measures twenty-one to
twenty-three inches is a formidable foe to moles and mice, rabbits and
reptiles.
The Falcon.
The Peregrine Falcon so famous in the days of Falconry is a fearless
bird and does not hesitate to attack those of much larger size. For this
reason it was often employed in hunting the Heron. "In this contest,"
says Mr. Wood, "the Falcon was almost always victorious, and after it
had attained a sufficient altitude, it swept, or 'stooped', as the
phrase was, upon the Heron. When the Falcon had closed with its prey,
they both came to the ground together. Sometimes, however, the wary
Heron contrived to receive its enemy on the point of its sharp beak, and
transfixed it by its own impetus." This bird is from fifteen to eighteen
inches in length. Mr. Selby in his "Ornithology" says, "In daring
disposition, this bird equals most of its congeners. I may be allowed to
add the following instance, as having happened under my own observation,
and as exemplifying not only its determined perseverance in pursuit of
its prey, when under the pressure of hunger, but as arguing also an
unexpected degree of foresight:--In exercising my dogs upon the moors,
previous to the commencement of the shooting-season, I observed a large
bird of the hawk genus, hovering at a distance, which, upon approaching,
I knew to be a Peregrine Falcon. Its attention was now drawn towards the
dogs, and it accompanied them, whilst they beat the surrounding ground.
Upon their having found, and sprung a brood of grouse, the falcon
immediately gave chase, and struck a young bird, before they had
proceeded far upon wing. My shouts and rapid advance, prevented it from
securing its prey. The issue of this attempt, however, did not deter the
falcon from watching our subsequent movements, and another opportunity
soon offering, it again gave chase, and struck down two birds, by two
rapidly repeated blows, one of which it secured, and bore off in
triumph."
The Sparrow Hawk.
The Sparrow-hawk which measures from twelve to fifteen inches long is a
terror to smaller birds, showing great pertinacity in their pursuit. Mr.
St. John says that one pursued a pigeon through his "drawing-room
window, and out at the other end of the house through another window,
and never slackened its pursuit, notwithstanding the clattering of the
broken glass of the two windows as they passed through," and that on
another occasion he found "a sparrow hawk deliberately standing on a
very large pouter pigeon on the drawing-room floor, and plucking it,
having entered in pursuit of the unfortunate bird through an open
window, and killed him in the room." White says, in his "Natural History
of Selborne," "About the tenth of July, a pair of sparrow-hawks bred in
an old crow's nest on a low beech in Selborne-hanger; and as their
brood, which was numerous, began to grow up, they became so daring and
ravenous, that they were a terror to all the dames in the village that
had chickens or ducklings under their care. A boy climbed the tree, and
found the young so fledged that they all escaped from him; but
discovered that a good house had been kept; the larder was well stored
with provisions; for he brought down a young blackbird, jay, and house
martin, all clean picked, and some half devoured. The old birds had been
observed to make sad havoc for some days among the new flown swallows
and martins, which, being but lately out of their nests, had not
acquired those powers and command of wing that enable them when more
mature to set enemies at defiance."
The Owl.
Great interest attaches to the owl from the singularity of its
appearance and habits. There are many varieties, the Common Barn Owl;
the Long-eared Owl; the Great Eagle Owl; and the American Horned Owl
being some of these. The Barn Owl measures about twelve inches in
length. This bird does great service in the destruction of mice, rats,
and other vermin, and it is the nemesis of fate that it is destroyed by
those it serves. Its movements are noiseless, the peculiar form of the
feathers of its wings enabling it to fly without making any sound, and
so surprise its prey. "Its method of devouring a mouse," says Mr. Wood,
"is quite different from the mode in which it eats a bird. If a mouse is
given to an owl, the bird seizes it across the back, and gives it one or
two smart bites, much as a terrier handles a rat. The mouse is then
jerked upwards, and caught again head downwards. A second jerk sends the
mouse half down the owl's throat, while its tail remains sticking out of
the side of its bill, where it is rolled about as if the owl were
smoking. After some time has been spent in this amusement, another jerk
causes the mouse to disappear altogether, and the owl looks very happy
and contented. But if a small bird is presented to it, the owl tears it
up and devours it piecemeal." The great Eagle Owl which measures two
feet and upwards will attack hares, rabbits, and young fawns.
ORDER VIII.
Wading Birds.
The order of wading birds includes many that we can do no more than
mention:--the Moor Hen; the Woodcock; the Snipe; the Water pheasant; the
Plover; the Lapwing; the Crane; the Heron; the Stork; and the Flamingo
are the more familiar birds of the order, which however includes the
Crakes; the Coots; the Curlews; the Bustards; the Sandpipers, and
others.
The Cranes.
The Cranes belong to Africa and Southern Asia, but migrate from clime to
clime as the seasons change. The flight of the Cranes, like that of some
other birds, is a compact and well ordered progression. They fly high
and commonly at night, apparently under the direction of a leader whose
course they follow and whose calls they obey. There are several
varieties, the Common Crane, the Numidian Crane, and the Balearic Crane
being the better known of these.
The Heron.
The Heron is an expert fisherman and has all the necessary patience for
the pursuit of his sport. He will stand motionless for hours at the
water side, waiting his opportunity, and then dart with unerring aim at
the unsuspecting fish and secure his meal. The bill of the heron is a
powerful weapon, and as we remarked when dealing with the falcons,
formerly used in hunting the heron, it will sometimes transfix the
Falcon by throwing its head back and receiving its enemy on the point.
Captain Brown gives an illustration which shows that the Heron's bill
may be as effective in other cases. "A gentleman being on a shooting
excursion, accompanied by a small spaniel, observed a heron wading a
little above a waterfall. He fired--wounded it--and sent his dog into
the stream to bring it to land. As soon as the dog had come within its
reach, the heron drew back its head, and with all its force, struck him
in the ribs with its bill. The gentleman again fired, and killed the
heron; but it had well revenged itself: both dog and heron floated dead
together, down the foaming waterfall." The Heron nests on the tops of
high trees and lives in companies.
The Bittern.
The Bittern is remarkable for its loud booming cry which has some
resemblance to the bellowing of a bull, and for its spiral flight which
it pursues to a great altitude.
The Stork.
Storks are found in different parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. In
Holland, and in some other countries, they live in a state of
semi-domestication, encouraged by the people, and building nests upon
the roofs of their houses. They feed on rats, mice, frogs, and other
vermin, and render the Hollander good service by keeping down the
numbers of such pests. In the East they act as scavengers, and for this
reason are as much encouraged by the people. "A recent visitor to
Constantinople," says Mr. Wood, "remarks that the very Storks seemed to
have become Ottoman, for they sat on the tops of the houses, looking
staid and solemn, as becomes the Oriental character, and managed their
beaks just as if they were pipes. It is true that they wore no turbans,
but each of them appeared to have left a turban of preposterous
dimensions, _viz._, his nest, on the roof of a house close by." The
Stork is easily tamed and sometimes shows considerable intelligence.
The Jealousy of the Stork.
The following illustration which we take from the "Percy Anecdotes"
shows that the Stork shares with other birds the feeling of jealousy.
"In Smyrna there are a great number of storks, who build their nests and
hatch their young very regularly. The inhabitants, in order to divert
themselves at the expense of these birds, and gratify a cruel
disposition, sometimes convey hens' eggs into the stork's nest; and when
the young are hatched, the cock on seeing them of a different form from
his own species, makes a hideous noise, which brings a crowd of other
storks about the nest, who to revenge the disgrace which they imagine
the hen has brought upon her race, immediately peck her to death. The
cock in the meantime makes the heaviest lamentation, as if bewailing his
misfortune, which obliged him to have recourse to such extreme
punishment."
A Stork's Revenge.
From the same work we quote the following, which shows that though
ordinarily placid and placable the stork can cherish the feeling of
revenge. "A wild stork was brought by a farmer in the neighbourhood of
Hamburgh, into his poultry yard, to be the companion of a tame one,
which he had long kept there; but the tame stork disliking a rival, fell
upon the poor stranger, and beat him so unmercifully that he was
compelled to take wing, and with some difficulty escaped. About four
months afterwards, however, he returned to the poultry yard, recovered
of his wounds, and attended by three other storks, who no sooner
alighted, than they all together fell upon the tame stork, and killed
it."
ORDER IX.
The Geese.
This order includes the Goose, the Duck, the Swan, the Teal, the Gull,
the Petrel, the Albatross, the Cormorant, the Pelican, the Penguin, the
Grebe, the Great Auk, the Puffin and other birds. The first of these is
found in all parts of the world, geese being especially cultivated in
England for the sake of their quills and feathers, and for the purposes
of food. The goose, far from being the foolish bird it is popularly
esteemed, often shows considerable intelligence, as well as great
affection for those who show it kindness.
The Gratitude of the Goose.
Many instances are recorded of gratitude shown by geese towards those
who have befriended them. Buffon once rescued a young gander from an
older and stronger bird, after which his young _protégé_ would follow
him on all his daily walks, never tiring of his company. "On one
occasion," says Buffon, "he heard me talking in the rector's upper room,
and as he found the front door open, climbed upstairs, and, marching
into the room, gave a loud exclamation of joy, to the no small
astonishment of the family."
A Wild Goose Chase.
Bishop Stanley, in his "Familiar History of Birds," says:--"An officer
settled on a farm near the Missouri in North America, one day, when
walking near the banks of the river, observed a large eagle frequently
darting towards the water, and then rising again. On a near approach, he
perceived that its object was to take a wild goose, which had alighted
on the water, and which was diving to avoid so powerful an enemy. Its
efforts, however, appeared to be in vain; and, after diving again and
again, and as often rising to get breath, it became nearly exhausted,
when, suddenly turning, it made for the shore with all speed towards the
officer's house, where two men were at work, and as soon as it had
landed walked leisurely up to them, permitting itself to be taken
without attempting to escape. It was completely exhausted, but soon
recovered, and within three days seemed quite contented, and confident
of protection."
Goose Friendships.
There are some curious instances known of friendships formed by geese
for both men and animals, apparently without any special reason. A goose
in Cheshire once followed a farmer with so much persistency, at the
plough, to the market, and in the house, that the farmer who had shown
it no special kindness, superstitiously regarded it as a bird of ill
omen and had it killed. A singular friendship grew up some years ago
between a gander at York and an old man who lived near the farm to which
the bird belonged. In this case the gander waddled off in the morning
and spent the day with his human friend, returning at night to its home
at the farm. One of the prettiest of these stories is that of a gander
in Germany who used to lead a blind woman to church, taking the corner
of her apron in his beak, and wait quietly in the churchyard until the
service was over to conduct her home again. Another goose was known to
have a great affection for soldiers and to regularly perform sentry
duty, walking backwards and forwards for hours with his red-coated
friends.
The Goose and the Dog.
A more singular friendship than any perhaps, was that existing between a
goose and a dog, thus described in "The Philosophical Magazine":--
"A species of goose, a native of Africa, belonging to a person in
Scotland, was observed some time ago to pay particular attention to a
dog which was chained up; a dog which had previously manifested a great
dislike to poultry, never allowing them to come within reach of his
chain. The goose, finding she had nothing to fear from her canine
friend, would enter his kennel, in the centre of which, among the straw,
she made her nest and deposited her eggs, which was not known till one
of the family mentioned that the goose slept in the dog's bosom. The
singularity of the circumstance led to an examination of the box, but
not without the greatest reluctance on the part of the dog, who appeared
determined to protect what was left to his charge. On removing the
straw, five eggs were discovered in a fine bed of down and feathers. The
dog was in the habit of going into his box with the greatest care, for
fear of injuring the eggs."
The Maternal Instinct of the Goose.
The Rev. C. A. Bury gives a pathetic illustration of the maternal
instinct of the goose:--
"An old goose, that had been for a fortnight hatching in a farmer's
kitchen was perceived on a sudden to be taken violently ill. She soon
after left the nest, and repaired to an outhouse where there was a young
goose of the first year, which she brought with her into the kitchen.
The young one immediately scrambled into the old one's nest, sat,
hatched, and afterwards brought up the brood. The old goose, as soon as
the young one had taken her place, sat down by the side of the nest, and
shortly after died. As the young goose had never been in the habit of
entering the kitchen before, I know of no way of accounting for this
fact than by supposing that the old one had some way of communicating
her thoughts and anxieties, which the other was perfectly able to
understand. A sister of mine, who witnessed the transaction, gave me the
information in the evening of the very day it happened." The Rev. F. C.
Morris tells of a goose which had a number of ducks' eggs placed with
some of her own that she might hatch them, but which twice removed the
ducks' eggs from the group, declining to sit on any but her own.
The Duck.
The many varieties of Ducks might well occupy much more space than we
can spare for them. The better known of these are the Wild Duck, the
Common Duck, the Eider Duck, the Long-tailed Duck, the King Duck, the
Canvas-back Duck, the Mallard, the Teal, the Widgeon, the Mandarin, and
the Common Shelldrake.
An interesting illustration of the affection which ducks sometimes show
towards each other is given by Dr. Stanley. He says:--"A pair of Muscovy
Ducks were landed at Holyhead from a Liverpool vessel, returning from
the coast of Africa. The male was conveyed to a gentleman's house, and
put with other ducks, towards whom he evinced the utmost indifference:
he evidently pined for the loss of his mate; but she was brought after a
time, and let loose; he did not at first see her, but when, on turning
his head, he caught a glimpse of her, he rushed towards her with a joy
which was quite affecting. Nothing after that would induce him to quit
her; he laid his beak upon hers, nestled his head under her wing, and
often gazed at her with the greatest delight."
The Swan.
The Swan is one of the most graceful of the bird kind, the purity of its
colour and the beauty of its form as it glides along the river making
it one of the prettiest sights in nature. There are several varieties of
the swan, of which the Whooping Swan and the Common Swan of Europe, the
Black Swan of Australia, and the Black-necked Swan of South America are
the most familiar.
The Maternal Instinct of the Swan.
The swan is assiduous in the care of her young, and shows great
intelligence in providing for them as well as courage in their defence.
She makes her nest in the grass among reeds; and in February begins to
lay, depositing egg after egg, until there are six or eight. Dr. Latham
mentions two females that for three or four years successively, agreed
to associate, and had each a brood yearly, bringing up together about
eleven young ones: they sat by turns, and never quarrelled. Captain
Brown gives a remarkable illustration of the courage of a swan in
defending her nest. He says:--"A female swan, while in the act of
sitting, observed a fox swimming towards her from the opposite shore:
She instantly darted into the water, and having kept him at bay for a
considerable time with her wings, at last succeeded in drowning him;
after which, in the sight of several persons, she returned in triumph.
This circumstance took place at Pensy, in Buckinghamshire."
The Swan's Intelligence.
Mr. Yarrell, in his "British Birds," mentions a remarkable instance of
the sagacity and intelligence of the swan: "A female swan was sitting on
four or five eggs. One day she was observed to be very busy in
collecting weeds, grasses, and sticks, to raise her nest above its usual
level. A kind-hearted farming man threw her some handfuls of brushwood,
with which she most industriously raised her nest, and soon placed the
eggs about two feet and a half above the old level. That night there
came down a tremendous fall of rain, which flooded all the fields and
cellars, and did great damage in the village. Man made no
preparation--the bird did; and instinct prevailed over reason! Her eggs
were above, and only just above, the water."
The Swan and the Fawn.
Swans are said to be spiteful at times, and to show a savagery of temper
on occasion, for which, as in the following case, it is difficult to
account. "In the park of Lord Grantley at Wonersh, near Guildford, a
fawn, drinking, was suddenly pounced upon by one of the swans, which
pulled the animal into the water, and held it under until quite drowned.
This action was observed by the other deer in the park, and did not long
go unrevenged; for shortly after, this very swan, which had hitherto
never been molested by the deer, was singled out when on land, and
furiously attacked by a herd, which surrounded and killed it."
The Common Sea-Gull.
The Gulls are a numerous family, the Common Gull, the Herring Gull, the
Great Black-Backed Gull and the Ivory Gull being well known species. The
Common Gull is found everywhere. It frequents the coasts of continents
and islands and feeds principally upon fish, though its voracity is very
accommodating, and its taste not over fastidious.
A Tame Sea-Gull