CHAPTER V.

GALLINACEOUS BIRDS.

Under this name Linnæus included a large number of birds which bear

considerable analogy to the Domestic Fowl, and mostly included in the

Rasores of Illiger.

The GALLINACEÆ are essentially land birds, seeking their food on the

surface of the soil, and frequently building their nests upon it. They

delight in scratching the earth, and in rolling themselves in the dust.

Walking is their habitual mode of progression, as one would at once

conclude from observation of their strong legs, and their short and but

slightly-bent claws. Some, like the Partridge, are swift runners, having

very short wings, which render their flight at once awkward and

laborious. In this order of birds we do not find more than two or three

migratory species.

The Gallinaceæ have short arched beaks, which are generally very strong,

and well adapted for crushing the husks of the seeds which, with the

addition of grubs, insects, and grasses, form their principal

nourishment. Their large and muscular gizzards, with thick lateral

muscles, lined on the interior with a very tough coating or epithelium,

are exactly fitted for digesting this kind of food. The triturating

power of the Gallinaceæ is further increased by their habit of

swallowing small pebbles, which facilitate the crushing of the grain.

In certain species (the Domestic Fowl, Pheasant, Turkey, &c.) the males

are armed above the back toe with one or more tapering spikes (a kind

of very stiff spur), which they use both for attack and defence. A great

many of this class have their heads adorned with crests and combs of

various colours. These appendages exist occasionally in the females, but

with much less development.

Birds of the most brilliant plumage are to be found among the

Gallinaceous tribe. The Peacock (_Pavo_), the Argus, the Lophophore, and

the Pheasant may be said to bear the banner of their order with no mean

degree of splendour, and may worthily stand in comparison with the most

splendid of the Passerines. This richness of colour is the

characteristic of the male bird, for the females are usually of a dull

greyish hue. But if the Gallinaceæ captivate the sight, they are far

from affording pleasure to the ear, their cries being shrill and

discordant.

Cruel, tyrannical, and quarrelsome are the characteristics of the

majority of this race. They are polygamous, and the females lay a large

number of eggs, which they sit upon, unassisted by the male. They are

generally divided into flocks, consisting of one male, several females,

and a number of young birds; but it is rarely that several families

unite to live in common.

The Gallinaceæ are of all birds the most useful to man. Certain

domesticated kinds stock his poultry-yard, and supply him with eggs of

an exquisite flavour; nor does their utility cease here--their flesh is

a popular, wholesome, and delicate food. Those known as "game birds" are

also abundant, and offer amusement to the sportsman and table delicacies

for the _bon vivant_.

Nearly all the Gallinaceæ were originally natives of the warm regions of

Asia and America; now, such as the Domestic Fowl, the Pheasant, and the

Turkey are perfectly acclimated to all temperate parts of the globe.

The order of the Gallinaceæ may be divided into two great sub-orders,

namely, the _Gallinaceæ proper_, to which the characteristics we have

just enumerated specially belong; and the _Columbidæ_, which differ from

them in certain details of organisation and habits, to be described

hereafter.

GALLINACEÆ PROPER

Comprehend six families: the _Tetraonidæ_, the _Perdicidæ_, the

_Tinamidæ_, the _Chionidæ_, the _Megapodidæ_, and the _Phasianidæ_.

TETRAONIDÆ.

The birds which compose this group are characterised as follows:--Tarsi

completely feathered; a naked and knotty band of skin supplying the

place of eyebrows; the body bulky; and the wings short. This family

comprehends several species. The best known we enumerate:--The Cock of

the Woods (_Tetrao urogallus_), the Black Grouse (_Tetrao tetrix_), Cock

of the Plains (_Tetrao artimesia_), the Pinnated Grouse (_Tetrao

Cupido_), the Ruffed Grouse (_Tetrao umbellus_), the Hazel Hen, or

Gelinotte (_Bonasia europæa_), and the Ptarmigan (_Lagopus_).

The COCK OF THE WOODS, or CAPERCAILZIE (_Tetrao urogallus_), inhabits

the pine and birch forests of northern hilly countries. They feed

indifferently upon fruits, berries, the buds of fir and birch trees,

insects and grubs--nothing, in fact, comes amiss to satisfy their

appetites. Their bearing, which is proud and warlike, is supported by a

robust form. Their plumage is black, spotted with white, and clouded, as

it were, with bluish diaphanous shades. They are polygamous, and live

together in families. They readily seek shelter in the trees, both for

roosting and in order to conceal themselves from their enemies.

At the first breath of spring the male birds make the woods re-echo with

the loud notes with which they summon the females to come to them. For

an hour every morning and evening, for over a month, this practice is

continued.

The females retire into the thick brushwood to build their nests and lay

their eggs: here they devote themselves to incubation, and afterwards to

rearing their offspring--cares which devolve upon them exclusively. They

deposit from eight to sixteen eggs on a bed of grasses and leaves

roughly interwoven. The young birds run about as soon as hatched, and

remain for several months with the mother, who on all occasions watches

them with the tenderest solicitude.

The flesh of the Cock of the Woods is juicy, but is esteemed more for

its rarity; for the buds and leaves of the pines, which are its

favourite food, give it a flavour of turpentine. In Scotland this

species became extinct, but was restored by the Marquis of Breadalbane

and others, who imported great numbers from Sweden. It is almost as

large as a Turkey.

[Illustration: Fig. 159--Black Grouse (_Tetrao tetrix_, Gray).]

The BLACK GROUSE (_Tetrao tetrix_), Fig. 159, is about the size of a

Pheasant, and is distinguished by its tail, which in the cock is divided

into two parts, with a curling notch, composed of four lateral feathers

on each side, curving outwards.

The COCK OF THE PLAINS (_Tetrao artimesia_, Aud.), so called from

frequenting and feeding on the sage that grows in profusion on the

far-western prairies of America, is a noble bird, of handsome plumage.

It is almost as large as a hen Turkey. Its numbers are rapidly

diminishing.

The PINNATED GROUSE (_Tetrao Cupido_, Aud.) is a native of the prairies

of the North American continent; it is the same size as the

last-described species, but the plumage is a light brown, occasionally

ticked with white. Its call is deep and sonorous, much resembling the

bellowing of a bull, and can be heard for miles in still weather. It is

an excellent table bird, and affords good sport to the lovers of the

gun. The Pinnated Grouse, frequently called Prairie Chicken or Hen, pair

in March; they lay from twelve to fourteen eggs, and are most devoted

parents. Of this species there are two strongly-marked varieties,

differing in size and formation of tail.

The RUFFED GROUSE (Fig. 160) is also an American bird, but differs

essentially from the last mentioned in size, habits, and selection of

food. The hill-sides, densely covered with evergreens or birch, are its

favourite retreats; on the wing it is remarkable for its swiftness.

Although not migratory, it is very erratic.

[Illustration: Fig. 160.--Ruffed Grouse (_Tetrao umbellus_, Aud.).]

The HAZEL GROUSE, or GELINOTTE (_Bonasia europæa_, Gray), inhabits the

same description of country, and has habits very similar to the Black

Grouse. Like them, it is suspicious and timid, and hides itself among

the thick foliage of the green trees at the least appearance of danger.

This bird flies awkwardly, but runs very swiftly. Its flesh, which is

both delicate and savoury, brings a high price in the market. It is much

less rare in France than the Cock of the Woods, and is frequently met

with in the departments of Vosges and Ardennes. It is about the size of

a Partridge, and the prevailing colour of its plumage is a reddish brown

mixed with white, or variegated with grey and brown: the male has a

large black patch under the throat.

The PTARMIGANS have feet much like those of a hare, and thence is

derived the name _Lagopus_, which signifies "hare-foot" (+lagos+, hare;

+pous, podos+, foot). These birds not only have their tarsi covered

with feathers, but also their toes and the soles of their feet.

The icy regions of both hemispheres, and the summits of lofty mountains,

are their domain. The snow is their favourite resting-place; they

delight in rolling in it, and turning it over in search of food, or

forming holes in which they pass the night to take shelter from the

storm.

[Illustration: Fig. 161.--Common Ptarmigan (_Lagopus mutus_, Gould),

Summer and Winter Dress.]

The colour of Ptarmigans is perfectly suited to the northern solitudes

they inhabit. Their plumage is of a brilliant white, save one line of

black on the head, and some tail-feathers of the same colour. This is

their winter costume. In the summer, when the snow has disappeared under

the scorching rays of the sun, they change their plumage, and are

clothed in a habit of a greyish colour, spotted with brown and red (Fig.

161). Like the Cock of the Woods and the Hazel Hen, they are birds of

social habits, and cannot bear captivity. When kept in confinement they

become sickly, and soon fall into decline. Their flesh is excellent and

much prized. Numbers of them are sold in the markets, and considerable

quantities are sent every year to England and France from Scotland,

Norway, and Lapland. The two principal species are the _Lagopus mutus_,

common in the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the North of Europe and America;

and the Red Grouse (_Lagopus scoticus_, Selby), which is found only in

Great Britain and Ireland, where it is much prized for its beauty,

delicacy of flesh, and the magnificent sport it affords when killed over

dogs. The 12th of August, the first day of Grouse-shooting, is looked

forward to by the disciples of the gun as anxiously as the Derby day by

turfmen.

PERDICIDES.

The distinctive features of the birds composing this family are--a short

beak, a small head, a round and massive body, bare tarsi, with spurs

more or less developed, and a middling-sized back toe. The wings are

sharp, pointed, or blunt, according to the species. This family

comprehends the Gangas (_Pterocles_, Temm.), _Syrrhaptes_ (Ill.), Quail

(_Coturnix_), Partridge (_Perdix_, Briss.), Colin (_Ortyx_, Steph.),

Francolin (_Francolinus_, Briss.), and _Turnix_ (Bonap.).

[Illustration: Fig. 162.--Pin-tailed Sand Grouse (_Pterocles setarius_,

Gould), Male and Female.]

The GANGAS, or ATTOYENS, are essentially birds of passage, and in

consequence are provided with long and sharply-pointed wings; but the

range of their journeys is not very great. They resemble the Plover in

their power of lofty, rapid, and sustained flight, and inhabit the arid

plains of Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The PIN-TAILED SAND GROUSE (_Pterocles setarius_), Fig. 162, annually

makes its appearance in Spain and the South of France; it is common on

the steppes of Southern Russia, of Tartary, Manchuria, Northern China,

and in the North of Africa. Occasionally it breeds in the Pyrenees.

The SYRRHAPTES, or HETEROCLITES, are characterised by the total absence

of the back toe. They are closely allied to the Gangas, and, like them,

have pointed wings, and are fond of travelling, but their flight is not

so continuous, for in their journeys they are frequently compelled to

alight. They inhabit the steppes of Tartary, and but rarely venture into

Europe.

The QUAIL (_Perdix coturnix_, Latham) has a small beak, a short back toe

inserted rather high up, tarsi furnished with a rudimentary spur in the

shape of a horny tubercle, a thick-set body, sharply-pointed

middling-sized wings, and hardly any tail. There are several species of

this bird, only one of which is found in Europe.

The Common Quail (Fig. 163) is noted for its migrations. Every year

innumerable flocks of them leave the regions of Africa, cross the

Mediterranean, and, about the commencement of May, spread themselves

over Europe. In the month of September they return, again accomplishing

the same journey. The instinct which impels them to migrate from one

country to another is so powerful that it is observed in Quails which

are born in captivity. At the season of migration captive Quails become

very uneasy, walk up and down their cages, and throw themselves against

the bars with such force that they frequently fall back stunned, and

sometimes even crush their skulls.

When it is considered that the Quail is a heavy bird, with wings

comparatively small, and that it must cost them great labour to migrate,

it is evident that it must be undertaken under strong impulse: probably

the necessity of escaping the severity of winter, or of providing for

their sustenance, is not the only cause, but that there is some sort of

instinctive want, equally imperative with that of hunger, under which

the birds are irresistibly forced to traverse such indefinite

distances.

[Illustration: Fig. 163.--Quails and Young (_Tetrao coturnix_, Linn.).]

The fecundity of the Quail is extraordinary: if it were otherwise the

species would soon be exterminated, partly from their heavy, awkward

flight, which renders them an easy prey to the sportsman's gun, but

still more from the wholesale slaughter of them which takes place in

certain districts at the time of migration. The Bishop of the island of

Capri, situated in the Bay of Naples, receives an annual revenue of

forty thousand francs (£1,600 sterling) from the duty he has imposed

upon trading in Quails killed on the island, which are afterwards sold

in the markets of Naples. From this he has received the name of the

"Bishop of the Quails."

On the shores of the Bosphorus, in the Morea, Crimea, and in some of the

islands of the Grecian Archipelago, Quails sometimes arrive in such

dense masses that, according to a popular saying, it is only necessary

to stoop in order to pick them up. They fall exhausted upon the ground,

and the sky may almost be said to be _raining_ birds. The inhabitants,

who have been watching for them for many days, now net them in great

numbers, and, having salted them, and packed them in barrels, export

them to different countries.

Quails travel principally in the evening and during the night. They

ascend to a tolerable height, but never fly against the wind; but, on

the contrary, scud before it, and are thus carried across the

Mediterranean. The south winds bring them to us, and the north winds

carry them back to Africa. If overtaken by a tempest during their

passage, they have not power to resist it, but fall into the waves.

Thousands of them have been found drowned around the precipitous

portions of the island of Malta; their strength had failed them, and,

from being unable to gain sufficient elevation, they found a watery

grave. They also take shelter occasionally on the decks of passing

vessels.

Quails principally frequent plains covered with cereals or fertile

pastures. They delight in rolling in the dust, and are never known to

perch. Their food consists of seeds and insects. They are not sociable

birds; for the sexes do not approach one another except in the breeding

season, and parent and young separate as soon as the mother's care is no

longer necessary for the protection of the brood. This period soon

arrives, as the little things are of rapid growth. The hen birds lay

twice during the year, once in Europe and once in Africa, and each time

produce from ten to fourteen eggs.

[Illustration: Fig. 164.--Quail-shooting.]

The Quail is a very swift runner, and frequently employs this mode of

locomotion to escape pursuit. It is only in cases of imminent danger

that it has recourse to flight. It flies in a straight line, keeping

close to the ground, and shows itself a thorough master in the art of

baffling dogs by throwing them off their scent. Hidden in the thick

tufts of lucern, it often bids defiance to the novice; but its wiles are

seldom successful before an experienced sportsman.

This bird is not as large as the Partridge. When killed at the proper

time--that is to say, when it has rested after its fatiguing journey and

recovered condition--it is covered with a layer of fat which is not

surpassed in richness and flavour by any other bird. Its flesh is sweet

and delicate, and emits an odour grateful alike to the nose and palate.

This bird ranks immediately after the Woodcock and the Snipe in the

estimation of epicures.

The capture of Quails was formerly performed in several ways. They were

caught in a net or a trap, in which a bait was placed: they were also

shot with the help of a pointer. This last method is the only one which

is nowadays allowed in France; and, thanks to this restriction, the bird

is now destroyed on a less extensive scale than in times past, and the

species may yet be something more than a myth to future generations.

The PARTRIDGE (_Perdix_) has a sharply recurvate beak, a thick-set body,

blunt wings, and a short and drooping tail. The tarsi of the male bird

are either provided with, or destitute of, tubercles, according to the

species.

Partridges live constantly on the surface of the soil, and never perch

except when they are absolutely forced to do so. They have, like the

Quail, the pulverulent instinct, and run with remarkable swiftness.

Their flight is also very rapid, but low, and does not extend to long

distances.

These birds are eminently sociable, and live, during the principal part

of the year, in flocks or coveys, composed of the parents and the young

ones of the last brood. They are not migratory, and seem to attach

themselves to certain localities, confining themselves to a limited

extent of country, in which they pass their lives. They never leave this

except by accident. In it they make choice of a sanctum in which to take

shelter when pursued; this is called by sportsmen a "cover."

Partridges are monogamous; they pair early in the year, which union does

not cease until the following spring.

In certain species, such as the Red Partridge, where the females are

less numerous than the males, a great number of the latter remain

single. As the cocks do not willingly resign themselves to single

blessedness, but make many attempts to avoid it at the expense of their

neighbours, this is the cause of frequent quarrels. These conflicts at

last come to an end--the various pairs are firmly united; and the

unsuccessful candidates for affection, who object to making up their

minds to live as hermits, ultimately combine together.

The attachment of the male to the female is deserving of admiration. At

the time for laying, the hen bird makes a hole in the earth, which she

lines with grass and leaves, and in it deposits her eggs, to the number

of twelve or fifteen, and sometimes even twenty or more. The season of

incubation follows after, which lasts twenty days at least. During this

time the male bird watches over his companion, and guards her from

danger. When the young are hatched, paternal affection is added to

conjugal love, and a portion of the father's care is devoted to the

young brood. He accompanies them in their wanderings; he teaches them to

catch grubs, finds ants' eggs, and shows himself as skilful as the

mother in guarding them from attacks of their enemies. At the appearance

of the sportsman or dog the male utters a cry of alarm, which warns the

young ones of their danger, and enjoins them to seek concealment.

Drooping his wings in order to induce the intruder to follow him, he

pretends to fly away. At the same time the female proceeds in another

direction; and alighting at some distance off, she runs back to her

family, reassembles them, and leads them to a place of security, where

they are soon joined by the male bird. The above is one of the ingenious

stratagems by which the young brood is defended from pursuit.

Some weeks after they are hatched, the young Partridges are fit to fly

and to provide for their own wants. As we have already said, they do

not now leave their parents, but continue to live with them in the

closest alliance until February or March, at which time they separate in

order to pair off. At this time, also, the union of the father and

mother comes to an end, and they generally form a fresh alliance.

[Illustration: Fig. 165.--Shooting Grey Partridge (_Perdix cinerea_,

Ray).]

Partridges are of a shy and timid nature, which shows itself in many

ways. Nor are their suspicious fears unjustifiable, when it is

remembered how numerous are their foes, for foxes and birds of prey make

continual and unsparing war upon them. The latter especially are

particularly dreaded. At the mere sight of one of the Falcon tribe a

Partridge will stop as though struck with stupor, and so overcome with

fear as almost to be incapable of concealing itself, remaining

absolutely immovable; and it is not until the dreaded enemy is gone that

it regains self-control.

When a bird of prey dashes at one of them unsuccessfully when in cover,

no human power is able to make it abandon its retreat, and any one can

then lay hands on it without difficulty. A Partridge has even been known

to allow itself to be stifled with smoke in its hiding-place rather than

again expose itself to the claw of the Falcon, Vulture, or Sparrow-hawk.

The knowledge of these facts has suggested a very simple and effectual

method of killing Partridges successfully. This consists in frightening

them with the help of an artificial bird of prey, attached to the tail

of a kite flown over them. While the Partridges are paralysed by fright

from this deception, the sportsmen advance and make the birds flush

within easy shooting distance.

Notwithstanding their wild nature, Partridges are susceptible of

domestication, and, with care and gentleness, they may be rendered very

tame. Girardin relates that a Grey Partridge, reared by a Carthusian,

became so familiar that it followed its protector about like a dog.

Willoughby states that an inhabitant of the county of Sussex succeeded

in taming a whole covey of Partridges, and was in the habit of driving

them before him like a flock of Geese. Tournefort relates that formerly,

in the Isle of Chio, flocks of Red-legged Partridges were reared which

allowed themselves to be driven about in exactly the same way; and

Sonini speaks of two Red-legged Partridges which an inhabitant of

Aboukir had managed to tame. All these facts abundantly prove that, with

a little patience, it would be possible to raise the Partridge to the

dignity of a domestic farm-yard fowl.

The Partridge is highly esteemed by epicures; it is also the delight of

the sportsman, because it lies well to dogs. On account of its

abundance, especially of the Grey variety, this may be called the

"favourite game" of the French empire. Partridge-shooting, moreover, is

what is generally chosen for the education of the inexperienced shot;

the dog, too, by its pursuit, acquires such sagacity that renders him a

valuable assistant to the disciple of St. Hubert.

[Illustration: Fig. 166.--Grey Partridge and Young (_Perdix cinerea_,

Ray).]

Let us now take a rapid glance at the various species of the Partridge.

The Grey Partridge (_Perdix cinerea_) is the most common; it is very

plentiful over the whole of Central Europe, the North of France,

Belgium, Holland, and Great Britain. In these countries it frequents the

cultivated districts, the vast plains covered with crops, and the

artificial meadows, in all of which it lives and breeds. This bird is

not altogether harmless to the pursuits of agriculture, as, after

seed-time, it is not satisfied with the grain left on the surface, but

digs out those that are growing. It also devours the young green shoots

of corn, and attacks the ears when they come to maturity. Its increase

on a large scale might, therefore, produce serious mischief, which would

hardly be compensated for by the services which it renders in destroying

worms, insects, and grubs.

The Grey Partridge furnishes a variety of smaller size, the Migratory

Partridge, which is not known in England. It is remarkable for its

vagrant character, and forms a singular contrast to the stay-at-home

habits of the genus generally. It makes its appearance in large flocks

at the most diverse seasons and in the most varied latitudes. Not

migratory in the proper sense of the word, its journeys seem undertaken

under the influence of some unknown cause, and are wanting in regularity

and constancy. It does not always follow the same route, and its

journeys are intermittent. This bird is of a very shy nature, and is

frequently met with in the East (Turkey, Syria, and Egypt); it is

sometimes noticed in France, where it is called the Damascus Partridge.

[Illustration: Fig. 167.--Shooting Red-legged Partridges (_Perdix

rubra_, Bonap.).]

Contrary to the Grey Partridge, the Red-legged, and those allied to it,

have the tarsi provided with tubercles.

The Red-legged or Guernsey Partridge owes its name to the predominant

colour of its plumage, and also to the pink shade of its beak, tarsi,

and feet. Uncultivated wastes, thinly covered with heath, and undulating

uplands adapted to the vine, are its favourite resorts. In France it is

principally found in the south; in the northern departments it is not so

plentiful as the Common Grey Partridge. It is also a native of Spain and

Italy, and is very common in portions of Asia and Africa.

The brush-clad mountains are its home, and in fine weather it ventures

even as far as the regions of perpetual snow. It is very fond of grapes

and the edible variety of snails. In some parts of France it is scarce;

the Jura, the Upper and Lower Alps, the mountains of Auvergne, and the

Pyrenees are the districts where it is most abundant. In Greece, Turkey,

and Asia Minor it is more plentiful.

Another variety, the Rock Partridge, or Gambra, which differs but little

from the Red-legged Partridge, is almost unknown in France. Its habitat

is Spain, Corsica, Sicily, and Calabria.

The COLIN, VIRGINIAN or AMERICAN PARTRIDGE (_Ortyx virginianus_,

Wilson), has a thick and convex beak, smooth tarsi, and a longer tail

than the Partridge. These characteristics would hardly entitle us to

make any difference as to genus, if a study of their habits had not

revealed certain details which justify us in doing so.

When these birds are flushed, they do not all of them fly towards the

same spot, but disperse in every direction, and conceal themselves in

the brushwood or trees. Under such circumstances, if one can only manage

to re-find them, all may be killed in succession. They are more prolific

than the Partridge, also less suspicious, and will readily enter snares

set for them.

These birds are in the habit of making arrangements for sleeping which

are peculiar, to say the least. All the individuals of the same flock

begin by placing themselves in a circle at a certain distance from each

other; then they all walk backwards, converging towards a common centre,

until they are close to one another, side to side: in this position they

pass the night. By means of this precaution the whole flock can see in

all directions, and fly away at once in case of danger, without one

interfering with the other. Each bird, in fact, has a clear space in

front of him, and runs no risk of being impeded by his companions when

desirous of taking flight.

[Illustration: Fig. 168.--Californian Colin (_Lophortyx californicus_,

Bonaparte).]

The Colin is also distinguished from the Partridge by its vagrant

habits. In this respect it resembles the Quail, but its peregrinations

are irregular, and do not embrace anything like the same extent of

range. This bird is a native of North America, where it abounds. It

exists in some districts of the United States to such an extent that,

during one winter, in a circuit of not more than five or six leagues in

extent, as many as twelve thousand head have been killed, without any

apparent diminution of the species in the ensuing spring.

Having been brought to England and looked after, the Virginian has bred.

Similar attempts have been made in France, but with less success, owing

to a want of perseverance. The Colin would be an excellent addition to

our game birds, as its flesh is delicate, and it lies well before

pointers or setters.

The Californian Colin (Fig. 168), familiarly known as the Californian

Quail, is a beautiful bird, adorned with a crest, the upper portion of

which points forward. They are only found on the Pacific slopes of the

Rocky Mountains. On the high grounds which form the margin of the valley

of the Sacramento River they are extremely numerous.

Another variety of Colin, figured by Audubon, is also a resident of

California, where it is called the Solitary Partridge.

FRANCOLINS are distinguished from Partridges by a stronger and more

elongated bill, by a more largely developed tail, and by the existence,

in the male, of one or two sharp spurs. They also differ in their

habits, for they frequent wooded and marshy districts, where they

subsist on berries, seeds, worms, insects, and young bulbous plants.

When not feeding, they are almost constantly perched on trees, where

they pass the night. These peculiarities excepted, they bear a strong

resemblance to the Partridge. Their flesh is highly esteemed, the

Francolin taking the first place among our game birds.

[Illustration: Fig. 169.--Turnix tachydroma.]

A beautiful variety of Francolin is found in the South of China. Its

favourite haunt is among the dwarf palmetto on the hill-sides. It lies

well to dogs, but is so quick in flushing, and so rapid in flight, that

even the best shots miss them. They are quite as large as the Grey

Partridge.

Unfortunately, in Europe the Francolin is tending towards extinction,

for its wild nature prevents it accommodating itself to a restricted

range. It is found on the southern coasts of the Black Sea, in Sicily,

and the island of Cyprus. There are other species inhabiting Africa and

India.

The COTURNIX is closely allied to the Quail; the only physical

distinction between them is the absence of the back toe. It frequents

sandy districts and plains covered with high grass. It runs very

swiftly, and but rarely flies. Should it be compelled, however, to do

so, its course is seldom more than one or two yards above the ground,

and of very short duration. Dropping, it then stubbornly persists in

remaining on the ground, and prefers being caught to making a fresh

attempt on the wing. Its flesh is excellent.

A European species, the _Turnix tachydroma_ (rapid runner), (Fig. 169),

inhabits Sicily, the South of Spain, and the North of Africa.

The Sunda Isles produce a species of Quail, the warlike instincts of

which furnish an amusement for the barbarous tastes of the inhabitants,

who regularly pit them one against the other, betting largely on the

result, just as the English used to do on cock-fights.

TINAMIDES.

All the birds of this family belong to South America. They are the

representatives of the Partridge on that continent. Their essential

characteristics are--a slender and medium-sized beak; tarsi rather long,

and provided with nodosities; the back toe either very short or

altogether wanting--at all events, no use in walking can be made of it

from its elevated position; the wings and tail short, the latter

sometimes deficient.

This family comprises four genera, all very closely allied to one

another; these are the _Tinamus_, the _Nothures_, the _Rhyncotes_, and

the _Eudromes_. We shall confine our remarks to their nature and

characteristics.

These birds are naturally stupid, and cannot habituate themselves to

captivity. They live in small flocks, except during the breeding season.

They fly heavily, always in a straight line, but are swift runners. Some

species manifest such sluggishness that they will remain the entire day

without moving, and will not even take the trouble to escape from their

enemies. They have the habit of rolling themselves in the dust, and

frequent indifferently cultivated ground, grassy meadows, or thick

woods. Except in rare instances, they roost upon the ground. They are

crepuscular--that is, they seek their food in the early mornings and

evenings, and even by moonlight. Their selection of nutriment is

frugivorous, granivorous, insectivorous, and vermivorous. They make

their nests on the ground, and lay twice a year seven or eight eggs.

Their flesh is good, and much sought after.

_Tinamus tataupa_ (Swainson) may be taken as a representative of the

order. Mr. Darwin, in his "Journal of Researches in the Countries

visited by H.M.S. _Beagle_," describes this bird.

CHIONIDÆ.

The birds belonging to this family are characterised by a short,

crooked, and stout bill, long and pointed wings, a middling-sized tail,

and a merely rudimentary back toe. The size of the _Chionides_ varies

between the Partridge and the Pigeon. The species of _Chionis_,

_Tinochore_, and _Attagis_ are included in this family.

The _Chionides_ are remarkable for their marine habits; they frequent

the sea-beach, and feed on sea-weed and animal remains. They are to be

found in all southern countries. The _Tinochores_ and the _Attagis_ are

natives of Chili and Paraguay: their habits are not known.

MEGAPODIDÆ.

The distinctive features of this family are as follows: the bill

straight and slender; the tarsi long and stout; the feet tetradachylous,

and furnished with long and strong claws. This family comprises three

genera: the _Megapodius_, _Alecthelia_, and _Talegallus_.

The _Megapodii_ are but little known. All that has been ascertained is,

that they inhabit marshy localities, fly but little, and run like

Partridges. They lay each of their eggs in a separate hole, and leave

them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. The young birds are able to

dispense with maternal assistance and to provide for their own wants on

leaving the shell. These birds inhabit the isles of the Pacific Ocean.

The _Alectheliæ_ bear a great resemblance to the Megapodii, and are

natives of the same places: their habits have not been studied as yet.

The _Talegalli_, or _Tavons_, inhabit Australia and New Guinea. They

live in low brushwood adjacent to the sea. These birds have a curious

plan in building their nests. They scrape together a large quantity of

dry leaves, of which they form a conical mound five or six feet high. On

the top of this heap they make a hole, in which the female drops two or

three eggs, one on the top of the other. The heat produced by

fermentation, joined with the rays of the sun, gives sufficient warmth

to hatch them.

PHASIANIDÆ.

This family is divided into several genera or tribes; namely, Pheasants,

Peacocks, Pintados, Turkeys, and Alectors.

The PHEASANT tribe comprises not only Pheasants proper, but also the

Domestic Fowls, the Argus, Tragopans, Roulouls, &c. Their

characteristics are as follows:--The head bare; bill stout; wings short

and flight heavy; tail largely developed; plumage extremely brilliant,

and sometimes splendid.

All these birds were originally natives of Asia; some have been

naturalised over nearly the whole face of the earth since time

immemorial; the Pheasant, however, is not so widely spread, although its

range has been much increased.

The Pheasant is remarkable for the extraordinary length of its tail, the

middle feathers of which in one species, Reeves's Pheasant (_Lyramaticus

Reevesii_), sometimes attain a length of seven or eight feet. It is a

bird of slender make, of an elegant form, and the males are adorned with

brilliant plumage; but the hens wear a much more unpretending attire.

The sides of the face, and round the eyes, are bare and tuberculous. The

stronger sex are provided with spurs.

There are many species of Pheasant, but there is no obvious difference

in their habits. We shall, therefore, content ourselves with giving an

account of the Common Pheasant (Fig. 170), which is the species most

widely spread through Europe.

The introduction of the Pheasant into Europe dates at a very early age,

if it is true that it goes back to the expedition of the Argonauts,

about 1300 B.C. The companions of Jason met with this bird on the banks

of the Phasis, in Colchis, whence its name is derived. Struck with its

beauty, they carried it back with them into Greece, whence it gradually

spread over a large portion of the European continent. The Greeks,

believing it to be indigenous to the banks of the Caucasian River,

called it the "Bird of Phasis;" subsequently, however, it was

ascertained that it also inhabited the whole of the South of Asia

(China, Cochin-China, Bengal, &c.).

[Illustration: Fig. 170.--Common Pheasants (_Phasianus colchicus_,

Linn.).]

At the present day this bird is found in France, Great Britain, Holland,

Germany, and even Sweden.

Pheasants prefer wooded slopes or marshy plains. Their food is of a

varied character, and is composed of grain, berries, worms, insects, and

snails. They are shy and timid in their nature, taking flight at the

slightest indication of danger. They live in solitude up to the breeding

season, when the male birds select their mates, for they are

polygamous. On these occasions they engage in such desperate conflicts

that the weaker bird is often killed.

[Illustration: Fig. 171.--Golden Pheasants (_Phasianus pictus_, Linn.).]

The hen Pheasant makes her nest on the ground, in the midst of some

dense thicket, and lays from twelve to twenty eggs, which require

twenty-four days to hatch.

The mother does not manifest that care and solicitude for her young

which are so marked in the majority of other birds; she does not even

specially recognise her own progeny, for she pays equal attention to all

the young of her race that surround her. We must not, however, expect to

find much maternal love in a bird which does not shrink from breaking

her own eggs to gratify an unnatural appetite.

The Pheasant is not remarkable for its intelligence, for, in spite of

its suspicious nature, it falls an easy victim to the poacher.

Pheasants, although they breed in a wild state in our climate, are

principally raised in vast enclosures called pheasantries, where all the

necessaries to existence are provided for them. As the females are bad

mothers, it is no unusual thing for their eggs to be hatched by Domestic

Fowls. During the first two months of existence the young Pheasants

require the greatest care, for they are predisposed to numerous

maladies. Their favourite food is ants' eggs.

The flesh of the mature is very savoury, but rather dry, and epicures

consider that it ought not to be eaten till hung a long time, when it is

said to be "high," a requisite which by analogy has extended to other

game. There is one very curious peculiarity common to certain birds

belonging to the family of which we have been speaking, and which is

especially remarkable in the Pheasants--it is that when old females

become unfruitful they assume the plumage of males. It is said that

young Pheasants undergo the same change when deprived of their

reproductive organs.

The Golden Pheasant (_Phasianus pictus_), Fig. 171, and the Silver

Pheasant (_P. nychthemerus_, Linn.), are two beautiful birds, originally

from China and Japan, and now naturalised to Europe. The former, clothed

in purple and gold, bears a golden-yellow tuft on its head; the

black-and-white costume of the latter is not inferior in beauty to the

preceding. Linnæus has named them _Nychthemerus_ (the night and the

day). There are also the Ring-necked or Collared Pheasant, slightly

different from the Common Pheasant, which for some years has propagated

rapidly in France and England; Reeves's Pheasant (_Phasianus veneratus_,

Temm.), indigenous to China, where it is rather rare, and very highly

prized for the beauty of its plumage and the extraordinary length of its

tail--it is said that the exportation of this bird is severely

interdicted; and lastly, the beautiful Lady Amherst's Pheasant, so

called because that lady brought two living specimens to Europe. "I pass

thus some and of the best," as is said in _Hernani_, the French comedy.

[Illustration: Fig. 172.--Pheasant-shooting.]

The ARGUS (_Argus giganteus_, Temm.), Fig. 173, a bird with magnificent

plumage, which inhabits the forests of Java and Sumatra, takes its place

beside the Pheasants, from which it only differs in having the tarsi

longer and unprovided with spurs, and by the extraordinary development

of the secondary feathers of the wings in the male. The tail is large

and round, and the two middle feathers are extremely long and quite

straight. When paraded, as it struts round the female, spreading its

wings and tail, this bird presents to the dazzled eye of the spectator

two splendid bronze-coloured fans, upon which are sprinkled a profusion

of ocellated markings much resembling eyes: it owes its name of Argus to

these spots. In a state of quiescence the wings are folded on the sides,

and attract little attention. Only in the male bird is the gorgeous

display of colouring to be found. The Argus is very timid; its habits

are little known.

The general characteristics of the COCK (_Gallus_) are as follows:--A

middling-sized, curved, and strong beak; head surmounted by a fleshy,

red, and denticulated crest, the lower jaw furnished with two hanging

gills, equally red and fleshy; rather long tarsi, armed with sharp

spurs; short, concave, and obtuse wings; tectiform tail, arched and

falling in plumes, with very developed medium feathers; brilliant

plumage, with metallic reflections. This description applies exclusively

to male birds. Hens, more humble in their costume, are not gifted with

these exterior advantages; their plumage is generally dull and without

attraction, their straight and slightly-raised tails are limited to an

ordinary proportion; their crest is reduced to the most simple

excrescence, and in certain species entirely disappears; lastly, their

legs are without the murderous spur with which the male is armed. They

are also smaller and less vociferous than the male.

[Illustration: Fig. 173.--Argus (_Phasianus Argæ_, Latham).]

The domestication of this family dates from ante-historic times, so that

we can only raise conjectures as to the original country and species

from which the numerous varieties sprang which we now find spread

throughout the world. The species, however, is probably one of those now

living in a wild state in the islands of the Indian Archipelago. They

may perhaps constitute some of the types which have given birth to our

principal domestic races, and which are separated into a number of

varieties.

Whatever may be the opinion adopted, we know that amongst the species

indigenous to Asia are the Bankiva Cock (_Gallus Bankiva_, Linn.), which

so nearly resembles our village Chanticleer as to be often confused with

it;--the bird, known as Jungle-fowl by Indian sportsmen, inhabits Java,

Sumatra, the Philippines, and Hindostan: it is sometimes called

Sonnerat's Cock (_Gallus Sonneratii_, Latham);--the Bronzed Cock

(_Gallus æneus_, Temm.), the Fork-tailed Cock (_Gallus furcatus_,

Temm.), and the Giant Cock, or Kulm Cock (_Gallus giganteus_, Jardine),

the largest species known. These are considered, not without reason, the

founders of our most extensive races. The last mentioned lives both in a

wild and domestic state in Java, Sumatra, and India proper. The Negro

Cock offers a very remarkable case of contrast, for the crest, gills,

epidermis, periosteum, and feathers of this species are black, but the

flesh is white. The Negro Cock, very largely spread over Belgium and

Germany, still lives in freedom in the Indies. All these species inhabit

thick forests, and their manners are entirely unknown. Consequently,

without further delay, we arrive at the description of the Domestic

Cock.

[Illustration: Fig. 174.--Cock, Hen, and Chickens (_Gallus_, Briss.).]

The Cock is thick-set and massive, but without heaviness. His upright

and bold walk denotes his pride. Without being an habitual runner, he

moves with rapidity, but when driven to use his wings his incapacity

reveals itself; it is with difficulty he raises himself from the ground,

as if nature had destined him to live always by the side of man,

attached to the earth which feeds them both. The Cock is a perfect model

of a sultan; he attaches an entire seraglio to his train. His love is a

curious mixture of delicate attentions and revolting brutalities. See

him walking in the midst of his companions, he assumes an air at once

proud and defiant. He directs his wives, protects them, watches them

with restless tenderness, and if he finds a savoury morsel he

unselfishly parts with it. When the time for feeding comes, he softens

his voice to invite them to come and peck up the grain spread upon the

ground; again, he is cruel and brutal both to Hens and chickens. Of an

ardent character, the Cock cannot suffer a rival at his side; thus

battles are inevitable when two Cocks inhabit the same poultry-yard.

With flashing eyes, head lowered, and feathers of the neck bristled, the

two adversaries observe each other for a time in silence. At last the

storm breaks with violence; they precipitate themselves upon each other,

and fearlessly fight with both beak and spurs till the earth is reddened

with their blood. These battles, which sometimes last an hour, only

cease to recommence the next day, or till one of the champions succumbs,

acknowledging the supremacy of the victor, and abandoning the place.

The Cock sometimes employs his courage and strength in more noble

contests, for he does not fear to expose his life for the defence of the

poultry-yard. Man, who knows how to utilise even the bad instincts of

animals, has not failed to employ the natural combativeness of the Cock

in ministering to his pleasures. In olden times the Greeks delighted in

cock-fights; the Cocks of Rhodes were particularly renowned for their

game qualities. It is related that Themistocles, marching against the

Persians, who had invaded Greece, and seeing the troops discouraged

before the battle, recalled to them the obstinacy Cocks displayed in

their combats, and then added, "These animals display their courage for

the single pleasure of victory; but you, soldiers! you go to fight for

your gods, for the tombs of your fathers, for your children, for your

freedom." These words reanimated the failing ardour of the Greek troops,

and the Persians were vanquished. In memory of this event the Athenians

consecrated a special day in the year to cock-fighting. The Romans

borrowed this pastime from the Greeks. Even in the present day

cock-fighting is still in favour in various parts of the East. In Java,

Sumatra, and Manilla this amusement is carried to the length of folly.

The inhabitants of these countries scarcely ever travel without a

favourite Cock, which they carry under their arm. It is by no means rare

to find gamblers betting not only their fortune, but even their wives or

daughters, upon the strength and dexterity of a champion bird. In

England the barbarous practice of cock-fighting in former days was a

favourite pastime, nor is it now entirely abandoned. Henry VIII., we

read, instituted rules for this then popular sport. From his example

most of the English kings patronised it. Charles II. and James II. took

it under their special protection. At that time cock-fighting was almost

a science, which had voluminous codes, laws, and regulations,

determining the circumstances of the combat, and settling the interests

of betters. Now, however, it is almost exclusively confined to a few of

the lower classes, the matches generally taking place on one or other of

the few holidays which the hard-working mechanics have at their

disposal. On these occasions the crowd gathers, the bets are arranged,

which sometimes rise to considerable sums. The spectators contemplate

with barbarous pleasure the result of the anticipated combat, as both

adversaries, armed with artificial spurs of pointed steel, are placed in

the cock-pit. When left to themselves, they attack each other furiously,

using their steel spurs with great adroitness (Fig. 175). The fight only

terminates by the death of one of the combatants, and the victor is

exhibited in triumph to the crowd. But his triumph is of short duration;

the late hero called again to do battle, the spur of a more powerful

adversary strikes a vital part, and he in his turn expires in the arena.

The victor upon whom formerly so much interest rested, who excited so

much admiration and such enthusiastic praises, is now in turn

defeated--the former favourite of Fortune is deserted by the fickle

goddess. In the meantime the other birds are ceaselessly heard crowing

defiance, and proclaiming their eagerness for the fray. In the

poultry-yard the Game Cock is quarrelsome, and even cruel; but this may

be said of poultry generally. If one of their companions is sick or

wounded, they unite to put an end at once to his sufferings and life. A

stranger in the yard is certain to meet with a bad reception; the others

set on it in a body, and only cease hostilities at the end of several

days, or in the case of the Cock, who is their lord and master, taking

the new arrival under his protection. Hens feed on anything that comes

in their way; this renders them valuable to country-people, for they

yield a profit without occasioning more expense than that of a few

handfuls of corn in the morning and evening. Grain, herbs, worms,

insects, carrion, rubbish of all kinds, are alike acceptable to them.

[Illustration: Fig. 175.--Fighting Cocks.]

In France Hens begin to have eggs towards the month of February, and

cease about the beginning of autumn, when they moult. By giving them

heating food, they can be made to lay even in winter. They generally

produce an egg daily--sometimes, but rarely, two. Pairing exercises no

influence in this respect; that is to say, Hens have eggs without a

Cock, but these are _clear_ or unfruitful, and can only be used for

food. The cry of the Hen when about to lay is well known. When she has

produced about twenty eggs a desire to sit is manifested: if this is

permitted, twelve or fifteen eggs, placed in a basket filled with straw,

are given her; when, uttering a peculiar clucking and spreading her

wings, she sits upon her treasures, and covers them with so much

perseverance as sometimes to forget to eat or drink, unless food is

brought her. During twenty-one days the eggs are maintained at a uniform

temperature of about 40° Centigrade. At the end of that time the young

chickens burst their shell. The Hen fulfils the duties of a mother with

incomparable devotion and tenderness; she follows her young brood step

by step, calls them to her when they stray, and seeks nourishment for

them, thinking little of her own wants till theirs are satisfied.

Against all aggressors, with every feather bristling and angry eyes, she

warns them, protects them, and defends them. If a bird of prey appears,

she hastens to meet it, and assumes such a menacing attitude, that few

will not immediately take to flight. The chickens develop rapidly. At

the end of a month the crest of the males shows itself; at six months

they have acquired the vigour necessary for reproduction; females begin

to lay about the same time. At the age of three months transforming them

into capons and pullets is performed--names given to those individuals

which have been deprived of the sexual organs. In this condition they

are fattened, and acquire a superior flavour and delicacy of flesh.

Pullets and capons, in losing the generative faculty, lose also the

inherent characteristics of their sex. The temper of the male becomes so

mild that he has been made to perform maternal duties when a Hen has

deserted her chickens to recommence laying, by plucking out feathers

from his stomach, and then rubbing the part with nettles; the chickens

gliding under, allay the pain which the stings have caused, and thus the

bird derives pleasure from his wards, and soon attaches himself to them.

The departments of Sarthe and Ain are celebrated for the pullets there

raised.

Hatching is sometimes performed by artificial incubation. In olden times

the Egyptians had recourse to this means to increase the production of

poultry. The method which was used, and which is still employed in

modern Egypt, consists in placing the eggs in a furnace maintained for

twenty-one days at a uniform temperature of 40° C. By this means a

hundred millions of Fowls are annually produced in Egypt. Simple as this

operation appears, it is not without difficulty, or the climate of

Africa assists, for attempts in France have never been crowned with

success. In the Sunda Islands artificial incubation is accomplished in

another manner: here men are found who, for a small salary, remain for

three weeks stretched out and immovable upon eggs placed in ashes.

Antiquity has bequeathed to us the story of a curious incubation made at

Rome by the Empress Livia. This lady being pregnant, and desiring a son,

thought of hatching an egg in her bosom, and drawing a prognostic from

the sex of the chicken. The operation succeeded--the egg having produced

a Cock, the empress concluded that her wishes would be granted. These

were realised, for she brought into the world Tiberius--rather a wicked

bird, as every one knows.

The TRAGOPANS (_Ceriornis_, Swainson) and the JUNGLE-FOWLS belong to

India or the Indian Archipelago, and are all remarkable for the

brilliancy of their plumage. The HOUPIFERES, or, as their name

expresses, Tuft-bearers, strongly resemble our Domestic Fowl. The

Tragopan, which Buffon calls the Horned Pheasant, looks like a cross

between the Domestic Fowl and the Pheasant, but is distinguished by two

small horns, which decorate the head of the male. Lastly, the

Jungle-fowls live in a wild state, being as yet unknown domesticated,

consequently little can be said of their habits, but they probably

differ but slightly from those of the Pheasants.

PINTADOS (Guinea-fowls) have remarkably small heads for their size; beak

and neck short; the tail equally short and drooping; the tarsus very

low, and destitute of spurs; body round; wings short and concave; on the

head is a hard crest of a reddish blue, sometimes replaced in mature

birds by a tuft; the wattles are fleshy, and hang under the beak.

The Common Guinea-fowl (Fig. 176) has a slate-coloured plumage, covered

with white spots; it is indigenous to Africa, and its introduction into

Europe dates from far-distant times; it was known to the Greeks and

Romans. The former made it an emblem of paternal affection. According to

Greek writers, the sisters of Meleager felt such grief at the death of

their brother, that Diana, to terminate their woes, changed them into

Guinea-fowls. The goddess, wishing that their plumage should bear the

trace of their tears, marked it with white spots.

[Illustration: Fig. 176.--Guinea-fowl (_Numida cristata_, Latham).]

The Romans, who highly esteemed the flesh of these birds, propagated

them with the greatest care to figure at their feasts, but after the

invasion of the barbarians they disappeared from Europe, and during the

Middle Ages we never hear of them. The Portuguese re-discovered them in

Africa on their return from the Indies, and again imported them into

Europe, where they have since multiplied to a great extent. But the

turbulent and quarrelsome character of these birds and their noisy and

discordant cries are serious obstacles to their becoming favourites;

they have also ceaseless quarrels with the Hens and Turkeys, their

neighbours, and although not so strong as their antagonists, they fight

them fearlessly. They have been seen to attack the young of other birds,

and split their skulls with a blow of their beaks. They show great

attachment to their own young, yet they occupy themselves but little

with the cares of a family; consequently their progeny is generally

brought up by Hens or Turkeys. Although bad nurses, their fecundity is

very great, and when well fed they lay as many as a hundred eggs in a

year: these are much sought after, and epicures prefer them to those of

the Hen. Their flesh, though good, is not so much esteemed. There are

now several species known in a wild state in Africa, and in a domestic

state in Europe. They are numerous in Arabia, where they are found in

the neighbourhood of marshy places, in little bands composed of a male

and several females. Transported into America after the discovery of

that continent, the common variety is now perfectly acclimated there,

and is even to be found wild in some of the vast forests and savannahs

of that country.

TURKEYS are birds of large size, easily distinguished from other

Gallinacean fowls by the following characteristics:--Bare heads and

necks, decorated with fleshy appendages--those of the neck, which fall

under the head in front of the bird, are capable of being inflated and

much enlarged under the influence of love or anger; a brush of long and

straight hairs hangs at the base of the neck; the tarsi are strong, and

provided with slightly-developed spurs; lastly, the tail is round, of

moderate length, and at the will of the bird can be expanded like a fan.

The Turkey was originally imported from North America, where it still

lives in a wild state; it is frequently met with in the forests which

border the large western rivers of that country, such as the

Mississippi, Missouri, and the Ohio, and it must be studied there to

acquire a correct idea of its habits. The Domestic Turkey is not so

handsome in plumage as is the Wild, but the former generally much

exceeds the latter in size. The colour of the Wild Turkey is brown,

mixed with blue and green, giving out a diaphanous metallic brilliancy.

The full-grown male bird sometimes measures over three feet, and weighs

from twenty to twenty-five pounds. The American naturalist, Audubon,

speaks of having seen one which was upwards of thirty-six. The female is

much smaller, and seldom exceeds ten pounds in weight: her plumage

cannot vie with that of the male in splendour. Although it does not

appear constructed for the purpose, the mature bird is capable of taking

considerable flights, passing with ease in its wild state across such

gigantic rivers as the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri, which in every

direction traverse and bisect the middle portion of the great North

American continent; but it, as a rule, only takes wing when all other

means of locomotion are denied, for it runs with surprising rapidity,

distancing the common cur dog with ease, and only abates its speed after

a lengthened pursuit. It accomplishes long journeys on foot; not,

however, caused by atmospheric influence, but want of sustenance in the

country which it inhabits. It is generally towards the beginning of

October that these migrations commence. The Turkeys then unite in troops

of from ten to a hundred individuals, and go towards the regions which

they have chosen for their new abode; the males form a separate drove

from the females, which march at their sides, surrounded by their young

families. The necessity of protecting their young from the brutality of

the old cocks, who will kill them if opportunity offers, inspires the

hen Turkeys with this habit. It sometimes happens that the emigrating

band are stopped by a water-course, when all evince great agitation by

spreading their tails, uttering frequent gobbles, and yielding

themselves to extravagant demonstrations. At the end of a day or two,

after having inspected the neighbourhood, they mount upon the branches

of some of the highest trees, and take to the wing to traverse the

obstruction. Some of the young ones always fall into the water, but they

know perfectly how to swim: when all have reached the opposite bank they

run hither and thither as if they were mad, and from their recklessness

at this time it is very easy to approach and kill them. These birds pair

in February or March, according to latitude; the females produce eggs

six weeks afterwards. At this time the hen secretes herself in a place

unknown to the male, as he would break the eggs. The nest is an

indentation in the ground, lined with soft grasses, moss, and dry

leaves, and in it are deposited her embryo progeny, which are sat upon

with perseverance deserving praise. In this respect they are superior to

all Gallinaceous fowls, even surpassing the Domestic Hen. When the

mothers leave their eggs to seek food they are always careful to cover

them with leaves, the better to screen them from the sight of the Fox,

Lynx, or Crow. The incubation lasts about thirty days. As the time for

hatching approaches, no power can make the mother leave her nest, no

peril will cause her to desert her charge. On being hatched, the young

Turkeys, under the protecting care of the old bird, are led to

sequestered feeding grounds, and do not leave her till the end of

several months. Wild Turkeys have many formidable enemies, the most

destructive being Man, next the Lynx and the Eagle Owl; they are,

therefore, very distrustful, and when on the ground secrete themselves

at the least appearance of danger; but if perched upon a tree they are

less guarded, and consequently can be more easily approached by the

sportsman. On a misty, moonlight night American hunters take their posts

under trees where Turkeys commonly perch. In this situation the game

will receive several discharges without making the slightest attempt to

escape, although numbers of them in succession may have been killed. It

is difficult to explain this apparent apathy, especially when we know

their hurry to fly before the Owl. It is doubtless owing to the want of

sagacity which they manifest under these circumstances, as well as to

their ludicrous aspect and eccentric attitudes, that Turkeys have

gained the reputation of stupidity. This bird, however, sometimes gives

proofs of intelligence, as the following fact, related by Audubon,

shows. He had raised a Wild Turkey from its most tender age, which had

become extremely tame, but the love of independence remained very strong

in the bird, for it could not accustom itself to the pent-up life of its

domestic relations. Thus it enjoyed the greatest freedom; it went and

came, passing nearly all its time in the woods, only returning to the

house in the evening. At length it ceased to come back, and from that

moment dispensed with visiting its birth-place. Some time after,

Audubon, whilst hunting, perceived a superb Wild Turkey, upon which he

set his dog; but, to his great surprise, the bird did not fly, and the

dog, instead of seizing it when it was overtaken, stopped and turned his

head towards his master: greater still was the hunter's surprise when,

having approached, he discovered his ancient pensioner. This Turkey had

recognised the dog, and understood that it would do him no harm,

otherwise it would have scampered off immediately.

[Illustration: Fig. 177.--Wild Turkey.]

Turkeys feed upon herbs, grasses, fruits, and berries of every

description; they are partial to beech and other nuts; and their liking

for wheat and maize is such that they frequent the neighbourhood of

cultivated fields, where they make the greatest ravages. They also

occasionally feed upon insects, frogs, and lizards. The large

destructive grub familiarly known as the Tobacco Worm they are

particularly partial to, and are consequently much encouraged by the

tobacco planters. In a domestic state they are even known to have killed

and eaten rats. One curious peculiarity in the history of the Turkey is

its horror of red; the sight of a scarlet object throws it into the most

comical fury. It is needless for us to vaunt the flesh of the Domestic

Turkey; every one is agreed on this subject. We will only say that, from

the testimony of many travellers and naturalists, the flesh of a Wild

Turkey, killed in winter or spring, before laying, is far superior to

that of the Domestic bird, those coming from Southern Indiana and

Illinois being considered by Americans as the finest. The Turkey, being

indigenous to America, was naturally unknown to the ancients. The

precise date of its introduction into France is not recorded. According

to some, it was at the end of the fifteenth century; to others, only at

the commencement of the sixteenth. Anderson affirms that the first

Turkeys raised and eaten in France were served at the marriage of

Charles IX., in 1570.

The Honduras or Ocellated Turkey (_Meleagris ocellata_, Cuvier) is one

of the most beautiful Gallinaceans; its plumage is magnificent; the tail

is enamelled with large blue eyes, each of which is surrounded with a

circle of brilliant yellow and purple. It inhabits the country

surrounding the Bay of Honduras, Southern Mexico, and all Central

America. At the Regent's Park Gardens, London, is to be seen a splendid

hybrid, bred between the American Wild Turkey and the Honduras species.

The tribe of PEACOCKS comprehends the genera _Pavo cristatus_, Hist.

Anim.; _Pavo javanicus_, Horsfield; and Lophophores. The feature which

essentially distinguishes Peacocks from other Gallinaceans is the

immense tail with which nature has endowed them. This tail, formed of

long, large, and tufted feathers, coloured with the richest shades, is

capable of being raised up like that of a Turkey. When one contemplates

this magnificent appendage, in which purple and gold vie with the most

varying colours of the emerald, and notices the innumerable and

brilliant eyes with which it is studded--when with delight he views its

lofty stature, elegant shape, noble carriage, and, above all, a slight

and mobile tuft, the emblem of royalty, crowning its head--one cannot

help being struck with lively admiration, and spontaneously according

the palm of beauty to the privileged being which unites in itself so

many marvels. The Peacock was known from the earliest time; for it is

mentioned in the Bible as one of the most precious products brought from

Asia by King Solomon's ships. It made its first appearance in Greece

after Alexander's expedition into India. Alexander, it is said, was so

astonished at the sight of this bird that he forbade it to be killed

under the severest penalties. For a long time they were very rare, and

fetched a high price at Athens, and the people from the neighbouring

towns assembled in crowds to see them. From the Greeks they passed to

the Romans; but this nation, more fond of the pleasures of the table

than of spectacles, soon made them figure in their feasts. Peacocks

consequently were rapidly propagated in the poultry-yards of the rich

patricians; and some of the emperors, such as Vitellius and

Heliogabalus, caused dishes of the heads or brains of Peacocks to be

served: from this cause their price became excessive in Rome. Little by

little they spread throughout the empire, and thus the Peacock has

become naturalised in Europe. During several centuries its exquisite and

delicate flesh was in very great favour; but the importation of the

Pheasant, and later that of the Turkey, brought successful rivals for

table honours. The Peacock is now bred principally to please the eye;

and even when it does make its appearance at some ceremonious repast, it

is intended more to gratify the eye than the palate, for the carcass is

invariably decorated with the resplendent tail, spread out in fan-shape.

The Domestic Peacock, which is now the pride of our gardens and parks,

is indigenous to India and the isles of the Eastern Archipelago. There

they still live in large troops in the depths of the forests. They are

so abundant in localities, that it is said the traveller, Colonel

Williamson, being delayed one day in the district of Jungleterry,

counted not less than from twelve to fifteen hundred. The Peacock runs

with such rapidity that it often escapes from pursuing dogs; it takes to

the wing with difficulty, and flies slowly, though it can prolong its

flight to a considerable distance. It feeds upon grain of all kinds,

which it swallows without crushing. In the evening, to roost for the

night, it perches upon the limbs of the highest trees. In a state of

domesticity it retains this fancy for elevated places, and takes

pleasure in mounting on the roofs of houses, upon which it struts and

excites itself, scattering tiles, or tearing up the thatch, as the case

may be; for the devastating instinct appears to be very strongly

developed in it when opportunity offers. This bird also commits great

ravages in cultivated fields. The Peacock at times utters deafening

cries, which contrast unpleasantly with its dazzling plumage--one wishes

for a more harmonious voice with such a magnificent body; but what

animal possesses all perfections? It is polygamous. At the commencement

of the spring the male displays to the females all the splendour of his

plumage; he struts, spreads his tail, delights at the sight of his own

figure, and receives with pleasure the admiration which his charms draw

forth. His vanity knows no bounds; the adulation of his females is not

sufficient for him, he must have eulogiums from man also, and before

him rejoices to display all the riches of his wonderful tail. Complete

master in the art of pleasing, he knows how to manage the transitions of

light and shade so as to present himself to the greatest advantage; and

when he has been gazed at sufficiently, by reiterated struts he marks

his contentment. At the end of August his beautiful plumage falls off,

not to come forth again till the spring. It is said that the Peacock is

so ashamed of having lost that which was his pride, that he then shuns

the sight of man. This is better explained by the fact that the time of

moulting is for this, as for all other birds, a period of sickness; they

consequently retire into solitude, to find there the calm and

tranquillity which their critical state demands. The Wild Peahen lays

from twenty to thirty eggs in a hole hollowed out in the ground. She is

much less fruitful in the Domestic state. She takes the greatest care to

hide her nest from the searching eye of the male, which breaks the eggs

whenever he finds them. Incubation lasts from twenty-seven to thirty

days. The young follow their mother from their birth; at six months they

are reputed adult, and attain their full development at three years. The

Peahen, like the hen Pheasant and the Common Hen, adopts the plumage of

the male when age has rendered her unfruitful, or when, by a premature

atrophy, her eggs have become sterile. The Peacock lives from

twenty-five to thirty years; some authors have wrongly attributed to

them the longevity of a century.

[Illustration: Fig. 178.--Domestic Peacock (_Pavo cristatus_, Wood).]

The POLYPLECTRONS (_Diplectron_, Vieillot) owe their name to the

superabundance of spurs with which they are armed; the males always

possess two, sometimes three. The plumage of these birds, like that of

Peacocks, is sprinkled with glittering ocellations; but their tails are

shorter, and not susceptible of expansion. There are three or four

varieties known, which inhabit India, China, and the isles of Sumatra

and Borneo. Their manners have not yet been studied.

IMPEYAN PHEASANTS are little better known than the Polyplectrons. They

prefer cold climates, which sufficiently accounts for their predilection

for the elevated ridges of the Himalayas. No one has as yet succeeded in

acclimating them in Europe. This is one of the most brilliant

Gallinaceans; its plumage, bedizened with the most lively colours, has

gained for it in India a very significant name--that of the "Golden

Bird."

Under the name of _Alectors_ (from the Greek +alektôr+), Cuvier has

united a certain number of American birds bearing some resemblance to

the Cock, and has divided them into several varieties: the Hoccos,

Pauxis, Penelopes, Parraquas, and Hoazins.

[Illustration: Fig. 179.--Impeyan Pheasants (_Lophophorus Impeyanus_,

Gould).]

[Illustration: Fig. 180.--Curassow, or Hocco (_Crax alector_, Linn.).]

HOCCOS are analogous in form and size to Turkeys, of which they are the

representatives in their habitat, Central America, Guiana, and Brazil.

Deprived of spurs, they have a large tuft upon the head, formed of

distorted and erectile feathers. They live in numerous troops in the

midst of forests, and feed upon seeds, berries, and buds. Naturally very

gentle, they readily yield to captivity, when they become familiar, and

evince pleasure in the caresses of their masters. Sonnini relates that

he has seen them wander at liberty through the streets of Cayenne,

return to their homes without hesitation, and leap upon the tables to

take their food. Their flesh is exquisite, and in all respects worthy of

the favour of epicures. These different qualities should cause an

honourable place to be assigned to Hoccos in our poultry-yards; it is,

therefore, to be regretted that the attempt to acclimate these birds

made by the Empress Josephine, at the commencement of this century, have

not been renewed.

GALEATED CURASSOWS, or PAUXIS (_Ourax pauxi_, Cuv.), differ but little

physically from the Hoccos. They have the same habits and

characteristics, and easily habituate themselves to servitude.

GUANS or PENELOPES (_Penelope cristata_, Gmelin), and PARRAQUAS

(Latham), are two genera of birds strongly resembling each other; they

have an analogy to Pheasants, but only on account of their general

forms; in short, they possess the confiding and peaceable nature of

Hoccos and Pauxis, and easily submit to the domination of man. Their

flesh is delicious; they also deserve to be acclimated.

The HOAZINS (_Opisthocomus cristatus_, Quoy and Gaimard) inhabit the

savannahs of Guyana. Their flesh, which exhales a strong odour--due, no

doubt, to the vegetables on which they feed exclusively--is far from

being agreeable.

COLUMBIDÆ.

The _Columbidæ_ family establish a transition between real Gallinaceans

and Passerines; in short, they partake of the nature of both. Whilst

they approach the former in their anatomical and purely material

characteristics, such as the structure of their beaks, sternum, and

crops, they resemble the latter in their elegant forms, peaceable

manners, and in all their habits.

Like the Passerines, they are monogamists. The male and female build

their nests together, and share the cares of the incubation and

education of their young; these, when born, are blind, and only covered

with a slight down, and are quite unable to run like young Gallinaceans.

There are generally two Pigeons hatched at the same time; and it is a

very curious fact that there is almost always a male and a female. They

do not quit the nest till they have acquired sufficient strength to use

their wings and fly. During the earliest portion of their existence they

receive no other nourishment from their parents than a sort of pap

secreted in the walls of the gullet; but at the end of some days the

father or mother discharges into their beaks the food which they

themselves take. When they are sufficiently developed, they travel with

the adults in large flocks to seek a milder climate or better feeding

ground: their migrations in the natural state occur in spring and

autumn. What distinguishes them from the true Gallinaceans is that they

have a thumb inserted even with the other toes, and that consequently

they are able to perch; almost all Pigeons pass much of their lives on

trees. Their food consists principally of seeds, berries, and fruits,

sometimes insects, and a peculiar little snail similar to that found in

the Isle of France. Their flesh, generally good, in some species, such

as the Crowned Goura, acquires an exquisite flavour. Thus they form an

immense part in public alimentation, both in a domestic and wild state.

They are shot very extensively at the time of their migration. Although

their flight is noisy, and even presents some appearance of heaviness,

it is easy and sustained, so that Pigeons have been known to accomplish

journeys of surprising length in a few hours.

We will divide the Pigeons into three families--the _Colombi-Gallines_,

the _Colombes_, or, properly speaking, Pigeons, and the _Colombars_.

COLOMBI-GALLINES.

A certain number of birds rank in this family, which, with the general

forms of Pigeons, still preserve the habits of Gallinaceans; hence the

mixed name of _Colombi-Gallines_. Thus they constantly live on the

earth, build their nests there, and only take refuge upon trees to pass

the night or escape from danger. They run perfectly, but fly badly, and

are sedentary; lastly, some species have cephalic nudities and fleshy

appendages, or long, movable feathers round the neck like the male of

the Domestic Fowl. Physically they are characterised by a slight and

straight beak, and by rather high tarsi. This family comprises a very

large number of species spread throughout Central and South America, the

isles of the Indian Ocean, and a great part of Africa. The compass of

this work will not permit us to examine all: we will merely mention the

most remarkable, the Great Crowned Pigeon (_Columba coronata_, Latham),

very common in New Guinea and the Moluccas. The plumage of this bird is

of a beautiful greyish blue; its head is ornamented with a pretty plume

of straight, long, and tapering feathers; it is about the size of a

Domestic Fowl, and very highly esteemed for the qualities of its flesh;

consequently the inhabitants of the above islands raise it in their

poultry-yards (Fig. 181).

[Illustration: Fig. 181.--Crowned Goura (_Phasianus cristatus indicus_,

Latham).]

COLOMBES.

Colombes have slender beaks, long wings, and short tarsi. The principal

species are the Wood Pigeons, Common Domestic Pigeons, Carriers, Turtle

Doves, and Passenger Pigeons: the first three are indigenous to Europe.

[Illustration: Fig. 182.--The Wood or Ring Pigeon (_Columba OEnas_,

Selby).]

The WOOD PIGEONS (_Columba OEnas_, Selby), Fig. 182, are the largest

species of this family; their plumage is slaty grey, with bluish,

green, and rose-coloured reflections. They are spread throughout all

Europe, but chiefly in warm and temperate parts. They are very common in

France, where they arrive in numerous flocks early in March, generally

departing in October or November to pass the winter in more hospitable

climates. At the time of their passage the Alpine and Pyrenean hunters

destroy them in large quantities. The Wood Pigeons or Cushats inhabit

forests, and delight among the branches of large trees. They feed upon

acorns and beech-nuts, and are very partial to cherries and

strawberries. With the farmers this bird is far from a favourite, for

its appetite is insatiable, and it is alike destructive to grain in the

ear or germinating. They build their nests in lofty trees. The female,

after having chosen a place, forms the nest out of materials which the

male brings her, such as little dead branches which it detaches from

trees by the aid of its feet or beak; it never picks up the boughs which

strew the ground. This nest is but a rude shelter, scarcely large enough

to contain the young, and sometimes falls to pieces before they are able

to fly; in this case the brood retains, if possible, a position on the

large branches which supported their previous dwelling. Queests, as they

are frequently called, generally lay in March and August. Incubation

lasts twelve days, and the young can take flight about two weeks

afterwards. During all the time of the incubation and education of the

young the male remains near the female, constantly cooing, as if to

break the monotony of her occupation. In the wild state Ring Pigeons are

distrustful and difficult of approach, but their characters become

modified by domestication, or even by an independent life passed in the

neighbourhood of man. Thus young ones taken from their birth familiarise

themselves without difficulty, and do not appear to regret having lost

their liberty. They do not breed in this condition--or at least we do

not know how to make them do so; it is said that the ancients understood

this art.

Ring Pigeons are seen in Paris which have from time immemorial chosen a

domicile in the gardens of the Tuileries, at the Luxembourg, and in the

Champs Elysées. They are very tame, and come almost under the feet of

promenaders. Few inhabitants of Paris have not seen at the Tuileries the

charming spectacle of an old man who attracts round him numbers of Wood

Pigeons and Sparrows, to which he distributes crumbs of bread. The

confidence they show to this kind friend as an acknowledgment of his

goodness is wonderful; they rest upon his shoulders, take the bread from

between his fingers, and even from his mouth, and allow themselves to be

caressed without manifesting the least fright: this is evidence of the

possibility of taming Ring Pigeons.

Wood Pigeons (_Columba OEnas_) have many traits of resemblance to Ring

Pigeons, but they are smaller, justifying the name of Little Queest

which is sometimes given to them; their habits are the same as those of

the preceding species, except that they build their nests in the hollows

of trees, instead of upon the branches, as the former species do. They

are very plentiful in the South of Europe and in Africa. They leave

France regularly in the month of October.

WILD ROCK PIGEONS (_Columba livia_, Selby) delight in rocky and arid

places. They depose their two eggs in the clefts of rocks and ruins.

They are seldom seen in Europe in a state of complete liberty, except

upon some parts of the coasts of England and Norway and certain isles of

the Mediterranean. They willingly sacrifice their independence to live

in pigeon-houses. They are generally regarded as the founders of the

numerous races of our Domestic Pigeons.

DOMESTIC PIGEONS probably sprang from the Wild Rock Pigeons. They are of

two kinds--the Colombier Pigeons and the Aviary Pigeons. The former

enjoy almost complete liberty; they traverse the country all day to seek

for food, and sometimes even return to a wild state. The latter are

quite tame, and the door of their habitation can be left open without

danger; they go a little distance, and always return to their domicile.

If Domestic Pigeons cause some harm to our crops, they amply compensate

for these devastations by the services which they render to agriculture.

They are equally valuable to the breeder and consumer; the former derive

a certain profit from them, and the latter an agreeable and economical

article of food. To give a sufficient idea of the resources which they

supply to public alimentation, we have only to state that certain

species lay as many as ten eggs a year. Further, they supply a manure

which is very efficacious for some soils. Raising Pigeons necessitates

certain precautions which cannot be neglected without bad results: the

greatest cleanliness is necessary in the pigeon-house or aviary; all

turbulent individuals which sow discord, and often injure the fecundity

of females, must be excluded; and the races must be separated as much as

possible the one from the other, in order to avoid the production of

sterile varieties. Amongst the Domestic species the naturalist can study

at leisure the manners of Pigeons, and form an exact idea of their

natures and inclinations; for he can observe them from their first

steps, making their early timid endeavours to raise themselves in the

air; afterwards noting at more mature age the evolutions of the sexes,

and their fidelity to each other through years after pairing. We will

examine rapidly the principal races of Domestic Pigeons.

The first is, as we have said, the Common House Pigeon, differing

slightly from the Wild, which almost exclusively supports the population

of Pigeon-breeders; this is sometimes called the Fugitive Pigeon. The

Blue Rock is only a modification of the Wild Rock Pigeon; in form it is,

however, more elegant, while the plumage is prettier. It is one of the

most fruitful species.

The Pouter Pigeon owes its name to the faculty which it possesses of

inflating its crop to an immense size by the introduction of air. This

peculiarity often destroys them; indeed, when feeding their young, they

find so much difficulty in causing the seeds which they have swallowed

to reascend into their beaks, that they contract a malady which is

frequently fatal.

The Roman Pigeons, thus named because they are very common in Italy, are

easily recognised from the circle of red which surrounds their eyes.

The Swift Pigeon is of small size, its flight is light and rapid, and

its fecundity very great.

The Carrier Pigeons belong to this race. They are celebrated for their

attachment to their birth-place, or to the spot that contains their

offspring, and for the intelligence which enables them to regain their

native countries from whatever distance. Transport them miles from their

homes, even in a well-closed basket, then give them their liberty, and

after a time they will return, without the slightest hesitation, to the

place from which they were taken. This valuable faculty has long been

utilised, especially in the East. The Romans made use of Pigeons as

messengers. Pliny says that this means was employed by Brutus and

Hirtius to concert together during the siege of a town by Marc Antony.

At the siege of Leyden, in 1574, the Prince of Orange employed Carrier

Pigeons to carry on a correspondence with the besieged town, which he

succeeded in freeing. The Prince, to mark his acknowledgment of the

services rendered by these sagacious birds, wished them to be fed with

strawberries, and their bodies to be embalmed after death. We learn from

Pierre Belon, the naturalist, that in his time navigators from Egypt and

Cyprus took Pigeons upon their galleys, and liberated them when they had

arrived at the port of destination, in order to announce to their

families their safe journey. In our century they have been made use of

for similar purposes. The fluctuations of the Bourse were for a long

time sent from Paris to Brussels by means of Carrier Pigeons.

The Tumbler Pigeon owes its name to its curious manner of flying. It has

a habit, after it has risen to a certain height, of throwing five or six

somersaults.

The Wheeling Pigeon describes circles like birds of prey. It is

turbulent, and ought to be banished from pigeon-houses.

The Nun Pigeon is recognised by a kind of hood formed of raised

feathers, which covers the back of the head and neck, and to which it

owes its name. It flies heavily, but is very familiar and very prolific.

The Fan-tailed Pigeon is remarkable for its tail, which is very large,

and raised like that of the Peacock, and for the convulsive trembling

which agitates it, especially at breeding-time. It thrives badly in an

aviary, and is little valued, except as an object of curiosity.

There are two species of Doves--the Turtle Dove (_Turtur communis_,

Linn.) and the Ring Dove (_Turtur risorius_, Selby). The former is the

smallest species of the family of Colombidæ. They are found throughout

Europe, but are more abundant in the south than the north. They arrive

in France in spring, and depart for warmer countries at the end of

summer. They build their nests in large trees in the shady and most

retired parts of woods. They feed on seeds and berries. After harvest

they visit stubbles of wheat or other grain; the abundant nourishment

which they there find makes their flesh extremely delicate and

nutritious. Although naturally wild, the Turtle Dove is easily tamed

when taken young, when it evinces great attachment.

The RING DOVE is indigenous to Africa, where it lives in a state of

freedom. This is the species which, in Europe, is raised in cages and

aviaries. In certain towns of Egypt, particularly Alexandria and Cairo,

they are so tame that they walk in the streets, and even enter houses,

fearless of the presence of occupants. They are prolific, for they lay

every month, except during the moulting season. Their cooing somewhat

resembles a laugh--hence the name of Laughing Dove which has been given

them. The ancients made the Turtle Dove an emblem of tenderness. This

honour is justified by the kind attention which the male shows the

female, especially during the period of incubation.

The PASSENGER PIGEON (Fig. 183) is the _Columba migratoria_ of many

authors: it inhabits North America. They are remarkable for the strength

and rapidity of their flight, and for the migrations which they

accomplish.

The American naturalist, Audubon, says, "Pigeons have been killed in the

neighbourhood of New York, having their crops still full of rice, which

they could not have taken nearer than the fields of Georgia and

Carolina--six or seven hundred miles distant. As their digestion is

sufficiently rapid to entirely decompose grain in the space of twelve

hours, it follows that they must have travelled the above space at the

rate of a mile a minute. One of these birds, if able to keep up this

velocity, could visit the European continent in less than three days."

[Illustration: Fig. 183.--Passenger Pigeons (_Ectopistes migratoria_,

Sw.).]

It is not for the purpose of seeking a warmer climate that they

undertake their journeys, but to procure food when the acorns become

scarce in the woods which they inhabit. Their migrations, consequently,

are irregular as to date. Looking at the innumerable and closely-packed

masses of Passenger Pigeons which take part in these voyages confuses

the mind. Audubon one day endeavoured to count the flocks which passed

above him in one hour. He counted a hundred and sixty-three in twenty

minutes, but he was soon obliged to give up, the flights succeeded each

other so rapidly. He says: "The more I advanced, the more Pigeons I met.

The air was literally filled with them. The daylight, in full mid-day,

was obscured as by an eclipse; the dung fell like flakes in a fall of

snow; the buzzing of their wings stunned me, and gave me a sleepy

sensation." These Pigeons are endowed with very strong sight. When

flying at a considerable height they can perfectly distinguish the

places which will furnish them with the means of subsistence. Having

found a suitable country, they alight upon an immense space of ground,

and in a few minutes completely ravage it. Large quantities of them can

then be destroyed without any apparent diminution in their number. Some

hours after their descent they again take to flight, and regain their

nocturnal domicile, frequently twenty or thirty miles distant, where a

frightful slaughter is often made amongst them. Long before the sun sets

the inhabitants of surrounding counties await them with horses, carts,

guns, and ammunition. Some even bring flocks of pigs, to fatten on the

flesh of the Pigeons which the destroyers are unable to carry away.

Audubon, who assisted at one of these slaughters, has related it as

follows. He says:--"Every one holds himself in readiness, with eyes

directed towards the heavens. Suddenly a general cry of 'They come!'

resounds. The noise which they made, although at a distance, reminded me

of a strong sea-breeze amongst the cordage of a ship, the sails of which

are furled. When they passed above my head I felt a current of air which

astonished me. Thousands were already struck down by men armed with

poles, but they continued to arrive without intermission. Fires were

lit, and it was then a fantastic sight full of frightful magnificence.

The birds precipitated themselves in masses, and pitched where they

could, one upon the other, in large heaps like barrels. Then the

branches gave way under the weight, cracked and fell, bringing to the

ground and crushing the closely-packed flocks which covered every part

of the trees. It was a lamentable scene of tumult and confusion. In vain

I tried to speak, or even to call the persons nearest to me. It was with

difficulty that I could hear the guns fire, and I only perceived they

had fired by seeing them reload their arms. Pigeons continued to come,

and it was past midnight before I noticed any diminution in the number

of the arrivals. The uproar continued all night. At last the day

approached, the noise began to abate a little, and, long before we could

distinguish objects, the Pigeons commenced to start in quite an opposite

direction to that in which they had come in the evening. At sunrise all

that were capable of flying had disappeared. Now it was the Wolves'

turn, the howls of which saluted our ears. Foxes, Lynxes, Cougars,

Bears, Rats, Opossums, and Martins, bounding, running, climbing, pressed

to the quarry, whilst Eagles and Falcons of different species flew down

from the air to take their part of such rich booty. The sportsmen then,

in their turn, entered into the midst of the dead, the dying, and the

wounded. The Pigeons were piled in heaps, each took what he wished, and

the Pigs were left to satiate themselves on the remainder."

These massacres are in nowise injurious to the existence of this

species. In short, according to Audubon, the number of these Pigeons

becomes doubled or quadrupled in a single year.

COLOMBARS.

This family, established by Levaillant, comprises some species which

belong entirely to the hot countries of Asia and Africa. These birds are

characterised by thick, strong, bent beaks, which enable them to break

the envelopes of the fruits which serve them for food. They fly less

rapidly than birds of the Dove family, and coo in a different manner.

They inhabit woods, and build in holes in trees. Their flesh is good.

The principal species are found in Abyssinia, Senegal, and the Indian

Archipelago.