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diff --git a/24378.txt b/24378.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f25a813 --- /dev/null +++ b/24378.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1666 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mamma's Stories about Birds, by +Anonymous (AKA the author of "Chickseed without Chickweed") + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mamma's Stories about Birds + +Author: Anonymous (AKA the author of "Chickseed without Chickweed") + +Release Date: January 22, 2008 [EBook #24378] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAMMA'S STORIES ABOUT BIRDS *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: THE EAGLE.] + + + + + MAMMA'S + STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. + + BY THE AUTHOR OF "CHICKSEED WITHOUT CHICKWEED." + + + [Illustration] + + + LONDON: + DARTON AND CO., HOLBORN HILL. + + + + + LONDON: + WILLIAM STEVENS, PRINTER, 37, BELL YARD, + TEMPLE BAR. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + THE EAGLE 7 + THE DUCK 17 + THE QUAIL 27 + THE ROBIN REDBREAST 35 + THE BULLFINCH 43 + THE ALBATROSS 48 + THE OWL 56 + THE GOOSE 64 + THE MAGPIE 75 + THE PHEASANT 81 + THE FLAMINGO 87 + THE SWAN 92 + THE KESTREL 100 + THE VULTURE 109 + THE PARROT 117 + THE LAPWING 122 + + + + +MAMMA'S STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. + + + + +THE EAGLE. + + +The Eagle is often called the King of Birds, and therefore it is of him +that we ought to speak first. Very likely you have often seen eagles in +the Zoological Gardens, and, if so, you know what noble looking birds +they are. But they seem very sad in their prison-houses, to which no +kindness can ever attach them. They are formed to soar boldly to the top +of some lonely mountain height, and there dwell far from the abode of +men. And to chain them down upon a stunted branch, within reach of all +who like to go and gaze upon them, seems treating them unworthily. One +can almost fancy that they show by their sullen, brooding attitude, and +sparkling eyes, how much they feel themselves degraded and out of place. +I cannot tell you that the Eagle is of any real service to man, but +every one who has been out amongst the mountains, reckons it a fine +sight if he can catch a glimpse of one or more of these noble birds +soaring in the air. Eagles are found in every country where there are +mountains. In Ireland, and sometimes in England and Scotland, the large +golden eagle is found, and is a very fine bird. In America there is an +eagle called the Bird of Washington, which is so large that its wings +spread out from seven to ten feet. The body of the bird is not so very +much larger than a goose; but, as this eagle can fly as many as 140 +miles in an hour, it wants very large strong wings to bear it onwards. +The North American Indians--you have heard of them, have you not?--fine +handsome looking men they are, though copper-coloured; and in former +times before Columbus first found out America, the whole of that vast +continent belonged to the Indians and had no other inhabitants;--well, +these men have a great feeling of reverence for the eagle. They admire +him very much, because he is bold, active, watchful, and patient in +bearing with want. All these qualities the Indians value in men, and +they say the eagle is noble above all birds because he possesses them. +But for all that they kill him, and will watch for days to get a chance +of shooting their prize. And they think his feathers the very finest +ornament they can wear, and on grand occasions the chiefs deck +themselves with eagles' plumes as a sign of their rank. These feathers +are also used by them in making arrows. For the feathers of the eagle do +not get spoiled by wet or pressure, as those of other birds would do, +but always remain firm and strong. + +Another eagle is called the Erne, White-tailed, or Sea Eagle. These +birds live near the sea-shore, and feed upon fish. Their sight is so +piercing that they can mark a fish swimming far below them as they hover +over the water, and, pouncing down, will strike their strong talons into +it, and steer themselves and their prey ashore by their great outspread +wings. The African Eagle is said to be very generous in his disposition, +and certainly deserves to be called kingly. Although he will not allow +any large bird to dwell in peace too near him, yet he never harms the +little warblers who flutter round his nest. He will let them perch in +safety upon it, and if they are attacked by any bird of prey, he is said +even to fly to their protection. + +The eagle is, however, himself a bird of prey, and is often found a very +troublesome neighbour. Hares, rabbits, poultry, nay, even lambs have +been carried off by these powerful birds, for when excited by hunger +they will attack even those creatures which are larger than themselves. +Deer and even oxen have been pounced upon by eagles and buffeted about +the head until they fell down quite helpless, but there are not many +instances of this kind. We are also told of little children who have +been carried up into their nests by the old birds as food for their +young; and one very old story of the kind, taken from an old book in +English history, I must tell you. "Alfred, king of the West Saxons, went +out one day a hunting, and, passing by a certain wood, heard as he +supposed the cry of an infant, from the top of a tree, and forthwith +diligently inquiring of the huntsmen what that doleful sound could be, +commanded one of them to climb the tree, when in the top of it was found +an eagle's nest, and lo! therein a pretty sweet-faced infant, wrapped up +in a purple mantle, and upon each arm a bracelet of gold, a clear sign +that he was born of noble parents. Whereupon the king took charge of +him, and caused him to be baptized, and because he was found in a nest, +he gave him the name of Nestringam, and in after time, having nobly +educated him, he advanced him to the dignity of an earl." + +Eagles are said to be very long lived; one died at Vienna that had lived +in confinement more than one hundred years. Their cry consists of two +notes, uttered in a loud sharp key. They make a flat nest, formed of +loose sticks, on the top of some solitary rock where they are not likely +to be disturbed, and lay two eggs. Whilst the young are not able to fly, +they are carefully fed by the parent birds, who are then more fierce +than usual, and forage everywhere for food, carrying off fawns, lambs, +hares, &c., never, if possible, touching any animal already dead. Smith, +in his history of Kerry, a county in Ireland, tells us of a poor man +then living there, who got "a comfortable subsistence for his family +during a summer of famine, out of an eagle's nest, by robbing the +eaglets of the food the old ones brought." And lest he should lose this +supply too soon, he was clever enough to cut the wings of the young +birds when they were old enough to fly, so that the unsuspecting parents +went on feeding them much longer than usual. Mr. Dunn says he once saw, +while shooting on Rona's Hill, a pair of skua gulls chase and completely +beat off a large sea eagle. The gulls struck at him several times, and +at each stroke he screamed loudly, but never offered to return the +assault. + + + + +[Illustration: THE DUCK.] + +THE DUCK. + + +There is so much that is interesting to tell you about the duck, that I +scarcely know where to begin. Most of you know something of the habits +of the tame or domestic duck. But perhaps you have never noticed its +curious bill, which is constructed so as to filter, through its toothed +edges, the soft mud in which these birds love to dabble. The tongue of +the duck is full of nerves, so that its sense of taste is very keen, and +thus provided the bird can find out all that is savoury to its palate in +puddles, ponds, etc., and throwing away all that is tasteless, swallow +only what it likes. Try and examine the bill of the next duck that you +see, and you will discover this wonderful apparatus which I have +described as acting like a filter. The duck is very capable of +affection for its owners, as the following fact will show. A farmer's +wife had a young duck, which by some accident was deprived of its +companions. From that moment all its love seemed to centre upon its +mistress. Wherever she went the duck followed, and that so closely, that +she was in constant fear of crushing it to death. With its age its +affections seemed to strengthen, and it took up its abode in-doors, +basking on the hearth, and delighting in notice. After some time other +ducks were procured, and, to induce it to mix with its natural +companions, the pet duck was driven out day by day; but there was great +difficulty in weaning it from the kind friend to whom it had attached +itself. We are told also of some ducklings who grew so fond of a great, +savage house-dog, that though every one else was afraid of him, they +showed no fear of his terrible bark; but, on the first approach of +danger, would rush in a body to his side, and take shelter in his +kennel. Wild ducks, or mallards, are very abundant in marshy places, and +are a source of great profit. They are in some parts shot by means of a +long gun which will kill at a greater distance than usual, because the +duck, besides being very watchful and timid, has a keen sense of smell +and hearing. In other places they are caught by decoys. These are thus +contrived. A number of ducks, trained for the purpose, are employed to +lead the wild fowl on and on through narrow wicker channels up to a +funnel net. Hemp-seed is thrown in their way, as they advance, by the +decoy-man, whose whistle is obeyed by the decoy-ducks, until the poor +strangers are quite entrapped. + +China is said to be a wonderful place for rearing ducks, and, indeed, +all poultry, but in Canton many people gain a good livelihood by +bringing up ducks in particular. The eggs are hatched in ovens, and then +the young ones are brought up by people who buy them from the hatchers. +Sometimes the heat has been too great, and then the little ducks, even +if hatched at all, soon die. The way by which those who buy them find +out whether they are likely to live, is by holding them up by their +beaks. If the heat has not been too great, they will sprawl out their +little wings and feet, but if hatched too soon they hang motionless. +They are fed on boiled rice, herbs, and little fish, chopped small. When +old enough to learn to swim, they are put under the care of a clever old +duck, trained to the business. A number of these ducks with their +broods are sent down to the river in a sort of floating pen. In the +evening a whistle, which the ducks well know, recalls them to the boat +in which they were sent out. The instant this is heard the ducks come +trooping in as fast as possible, followed by their pupils. In order to +encourage them to be punctual, the first duck is rewarded with something +nice, but the last one is whipped for its laziness. And it is said to be +very funny to see how the ducks will waddle, and run, and fly over each +other's backs, that they may escape the punishment which they know +awaits the last straggler. + +As to the _use_ we make of ducks, it is chiefly as an article of food +the English duck is prized. But in the Northern regions, particularly in +Iceland, there is a bird called the eider duck, which is much valued on +account of the soft and beautiful down which grows upon its breast, and +is used for pillows and counterpanes, being wonderfully light, warm and +elastic. These birds, though naturally solitary creatures, assemble in +crowds at the breeding season, and build their nests in the roofs of the +houses. They tear away this soft down as a cradle for their young. But +the people rob the nests when they are finished, not only once, but +sometimes, cruelly enough, a second time. For the poor birds, finding +the down gone, tear a second supply from their loving bosoms. If the +plunder be attempted more than twice, the birds are said to forsake the +spot entirely. The eider duck has a curious method of teaching her young +ones to swim. A few days after they are hatched she carries them some +distance from shore on her back. Then, making a sudden dive, she leaves +the little ones afloat and obliged to exert their own powers. +Re-appearing at a little distance, she entices them towards her, and +thus they at once become good swimmers. + +Before concluding, I will relate an instance of the sagacity often +displayed by the tame or domestic duck. It is told by a gentleman named +Mr. Saul:-- + +"I have now a fine duck which was hatched under a hen, there being seven +young ones produced at the time. When these ducks were about ten days +old, five of them were taken away from beneath the hen by the rats, +during the nighttime, the rats sucking them to death and leaving the +body perfect. My duck, which escaped this danger, now alarms all the +other ducks and the fowls in the most extraordinary manner, as soon as +rats appear in the building in which they are confined, whether it be +in the night or the morning. I was awakened by this duck about midnight, +and as I feared the rats were making an attack, I got up immediately, +went to the building, and found the ducks uninjured. I then returned to +bed, supposing the rats had retreated. To my surprise, next morning, I +found that two young ducks had been taken from beneath a hen and sucked +to death, at a very short distance from where the older duck was +sitting. On this account, I got a young rat dog, and kept it in the +building, and when the rats approach, the duck will rouse the dog from +sleep, and as soon as the dog starts up, the duck resettles herself." + + + + +[Illustration: THE QUAIL.] + +THE QUAIL. + + +The quail is the smallest of the poultry tribe, and is a pretty little +bird, something like a partridge, but not so large. I dare say you have +sometimes seen quails alive in a poulterer's shop, where they are often +displayed in long narrow cages, and are sadly crowded together. The +quail is a migratory bird, except in those countries blessed with an +equable temperature, such as Italy, Portugal, etc., where it is to be +found in all seasons. In warm weather the quail visits our island, but +nearly all those sold in London are brought from France, where they are +caught in hundreds by means of a quail-pipe as it is called. This is a +little instrument which imitates the cry or call of the quail so +successfully that the bird is deceived, and, following the note, is +easily ensnared. Africa is the head-quarters of quails in the winter, +but in the summer they come in vast flocks and take up their abode in +Europe and Asia. In the Crimea and Egypt they are caught in immense +numbers whilst exhausted by their long flight. We are told in Stade's +Travels in Turkey, that, "near Constantinople in the migrating season, +the sun is often nearly obscured by the prodigious flights of quails, +which alight on the coasts of the Black Sea, near the Bosphorus, and are +caught by means of nets spread on high poles, planted along the cliff, +some yards from its edge, against which the birds, exhausted by their +passage over the sea, strike themselves and fall." The Arabs also catch +quails by thousands in nets, when they visit Egypt, about harvest time. +The observations of modern travellers have confirmed in a very +interesting manner the account given us of quails in the Bible. Do not +you remember reading of the multitude of quails that were sent by God as +food for the children of Israel whilst wandering in the desert, when +they grew tired of the sweet manna God had rained upon them from heaven, +and desired flesh? "They gathered the quails," we are told, in great +quantities, "and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about +the camp."--Numbers xi. 32. This was done in order to dry them, and this +method of preserving not only quails, but other flesh and fish, is still +followed by the Arabs. There is one particular island off the coast of +Egypt where myriads of quails are caught, and, being stripped of their +feathers, are dried in the burning sand for about a quarter of an hour, +after which they are sold for as little as a penny a pound. The crews +of those vessels which in that season lie in the adjacent harbour, have +no other food allowed them. The quails, when migrating, fly so near the +ground that they are very easily knocked down and secured. The nest of +the quail is very simple. It consists merely of a few dried sticks in a +wheat-field, and contains from twelve to eighteen pretty little green +and brown eggs. The quail itself is very prettily coloured with black, +chestnut, yellow, and white, and the males have a black collar round +their throats. The old Romans would not eat the flesh of the quail, +because it feeds on the grains of a poisonous plant. But we moderns are +not so scrupulous, and find it very delicious food. I am sorry to tell +you this little bird is so fond of fighting that there was an old +proverb, "as quarrelsome as quails in a cage." And the Greeks and +Romans kept quails on purpose to see them fight, as some people did +formerly (I hope not now), game-cocks. Even to this day this is the +custom in India and China. + +I always like to conclude with a pretty story for you if I can, but I +can find nothing likely to amuse you about the quail, except the +following account of the Virginian quail, related by a gentleman +residing in Canada. He "happened to have above a hundred at one period +alive, and took much pleasure in the evening, watching their motions +where they were confined. As it grew dusk, the birds formed themselves +into coveys or parties of twelve or fifteen in a circle, the heads out +and tails clustered in the centre. One bird always stood guard to each +party, and remained perfectly stationary for half an hour, when, a +particular _cluck_ being given, another sentinel immediately took his +place, and relieved him with as much regularity as any garrison could +boast. It became a matter of further curiosity to observe how they would +meet the extra duty occasioned by the havoc of the _cook_. For this also +a remedy was found, and the gentleman remarked with admiration that, as +their number decreased, the period of watch was extended from a half to +a whole hour, in the same form, and with unfailing regularity." + + + + +[Illustration: THE ROBIN REDBREAST.] + +THE ROBIN REDBREAST. + + +Every little boy and girl well knows this pretty little bird. His bright +eyes and rosy breast delight us even before we hear his lovely song. And +do you not remember that when the babes in the wood were left alone, to +die, by that cruel robber, after wandering about till they were so weary +that they lay down and slept the sleep of death, it was the Robin +Redbreast who "painfully did cover them with leaves." One would think +the robin must be very fond of little boys and girls. One thing I am +sure of, and that is that they love him very dearly, that they delight +in the very sound of his name, that they scatter crumbs upon the window +sill for him in winter, and that they would not disturb his nest for +all the world. + +Robins are not very often to be seen in the summer, for they fly far +into the depths of woods and lonely places to rear their young. So +amongst the chorus of sweet singers who make melody when leaves are +green it is not very common to hear the voice of the robin, though he is +said to sing very constantly by the side of his mate, whilst she sits +upon her eggs or broods over her young ones. But in autumn, Robin comes +nearer the abode of man, and it is difficult then in country places to +skirt a field or wander in a lane, without seeing a brisk little bird +with ruby breast perched upon the hedgerow, pouring forth a sweet and +gentle song. This is the robin, and we love his notes all the more at a +time when few other birds still sing. Nay, even in the winter when, the +Nightingale and many other warblers have left our shores to spend the +chilly months in some warmer climate, the robin only draws nearer to our +homes, makes his abode in our gardens, pecks up the crumbs at our very +doors, nay, often finds his way into our houses, and rewards every +kindness shewn to him with the same sweet flood of song that he poured +forth amidst the woods in the days of summer. Many very pretty stories +are told of different robins who have been tamed by kindness until they +seemed to lose almost all that fear of man which is generally so +striking in birds. + + "The birds of heaven before us fleet." + +I have heard of one who came to live almost entirely in the chamber of a +sick gentleman, and grew very fond of ground rice pudding, which was a +favourite invalid dish. But the out-door feeding of robins is not so +dainty in general, and I am sorry to tell you that, by those who have +taken pains to watch robins, and study their wild habits, these birds +are found not only to prey on live worms, which is natural enough, but +also to spend much time and trouble to prepare the poor things for food, +in a way that must be any thing but agreeable to the victims. For the +robin does not eat the whole worm, only the outer skin, and, to get rid +of the inner part, Mr. Robin takes the worm in his bill and dashes it +about on a stone with great skill until he has effected his purpose. He +is also a very pugnacious bird; that is he is very fond of fighting, I +am sorry to tell you, but such is really the case. He will not allow +other robins to build in the same bush with him. He never joins himself +in friendly company with his fellows, and on occasion he can fight very +heartily: so heartily that a lady who writes much that is delightful, of +birds, and amongst them of robins, tells the following story. She was +once sitting with a family party, when a cat rushed in with two robins +in her mouth, which she had pounced upon in the garden whilst they were +engaged in such a desperate battle that they did not see their enemy at +hand. One head stuck out at each side of puss's mouth, but of course she +was instantly seized and forced to let go her prey, when both robins +flew away as if not much hurt. But for all this Robin Redbreast is a +very charming little fellow, and well deserves a warm place in your +regard. + +Some years ago a pair of robins took up their abode in the parish church +of Hampton, in Warwickshire, and affixed their nest to the church Bible +as it lay on the reading desk. The vicar would not allow the birds to be +disturbed, and, therefore, provided another Bible. Another instance is +related where a clerk, in Wiltshire, found a robin's nest, containing +two eggs, under the Bible on the reading desk. The bird was not +disturbed, and laid four more, which were hatched in due season. The +cock-bird actually brought food in its bill and fed the young brood +during Divine service. + + + + +[Illustration: THE BULLFINCH.] + +THE BULLFINCH. + + +Look at the bright colours of this beautiful little bird: you can +scarcely find one with prettier plumage or a sweeter note. His native +song is not very remarkable, but he is so docile, and so readily taught +to whistle different airs, that he is highly valued. Bullfinches are +common enough in our woods and gardens, but gardeners are sad enemies to +these little birds, declaring that they spoil trees by picking off their +buds. It is, however, now thought by intelligent persons that the only +buds destroyed by the bullfinch are those infested with insects, so that +he really confers a benefit on us instead of doing mischief. Almost all +the piping bullfinches as they are called, kept in cages in this +country, are brought from Germany, where much care is devoted to their +instruction in the art of music. In their education the following method +is pursued. "The birds are taken from the nests of wild ones when about +ten days old, and are brought up by a person who is very kind and +attentive to them, so that they very soon grow gentle and tame. As soon +as they begin to whistle their studies commence, they being then about +two months' old. Formed into classes of six or so, they are kept a +little while hungry and in the dark, whilst the tune they are to learn +is played over to them on a bird-organ, which has a sort of bird-like +note. Over and over again the same air is repeated, until, one by one, +the birds begin to imitate what they hear. Directly they do this, light +is admitted, and they have a little food given to them. By this means +the birds learn to think of the tune and their dinners at the same +time, and directly they hear the organ will begin to whistle. They are +then turned over to the care of boys, whose sole business it is to go on +with their education, each boy having a separate bird placed under his +charge, and he plays away from morning to night, or as long as the birds +can pay attention, during which time their first teacher, or feeder, +goes his rounds, scolding or rewarding his feathered scholars by signs +and modes which he has taught them to understand, until they become so +perfect, and the tune, whatever it may be, so imprinted on their memory, +that they will pipe it for the remainder of their lives." + +Bullfinches that are perfect in their song, are worth a great deal of +money. Both the male and female sing, but the colours of the male are +the brightest. These birds, however, in confinement, lose their +brilliancy of hue, and, from growing duskier and duskier, sometimes +become entirely black, as if putting on mourning for their lost liberty. +The same change has been observed in a bird which lost its mate to whom +it had been tenderly attached. It is principally for its power of +imitation and memory that this bird is prized. His wild notes, when +loud, are not particularly sweet, but at times are very soft and +plaintive. + +I will conclude with a pretty and affecting little story of a piping +bullfinch that once belonged to Sir William Parsons. When young he was a +great musician, and had taught his bullfinch to sing "God Save the +King." On going abroad, he committed his feathered friend to the care of +his sister, with many injunctions to be watchful of its health and +happiness. + +On his return she told him the little bird had seemed pining away, and +was then very ill. Grieved to hear this news, Sir William went at once +to the room where it was kept, and, putting his hand into the cage, +called the little creature. It knew the voice of the dear master for +whom it had so pined and, opening its eyes and shaking its disordered +feathers, as if to do him honour, staggered on to his finger, piped "God +Save the King," and then fell dead. + + + + +THE ALBATROSS. + + +This is the largest of all sea-birds, and you are not very likely to +make acquaintance with him except in a picture. For though the albatross +has been seen in our latitudes, yet the southern seas are his native +home. There he spreads his long wings and floats over the ocean like a +white sea-king. The greater part of his feathers are white, but the head +and back are shaded with grey. There are many kinds of albatross, but +the great Wandering Albatross, as it is called, is the largest, and +though the body is not much bigger than that of a pelican, the wings, +which are long and narrow, have been known to measure as much as +fourteen feet across when fully expanded, or spread out. Must he not +look a noble bird, sailing as he does calmly round and round, far up in +the air, over those southern seas? From the length of his wings, the +albatross has some little trouble in raising himself from the surface of +the water, where he often floats at rest. He has to skim along half +flying and half running for some distance, until his wings are clear of +the water; then he soars away, seldom flapping his wings, but rising, +sinking, and floating through the air, as if kept up by some internal +power. As he seldom is obliged to flap his wings he does not get tired +of flying, and can remain on the wing for a very, very long time, +pursuing his prey, or enjoying the sailing motion through the air. + +[Illustration: THE ALBATROSS.] + +The albatross feeds on fish or on smaller sea-fowl, and is a very +voracious bird; that is, he will eat a great quantity, and devours in a +greedy way. His chief food consists of flying-fish, as they are called. +The flying-fish is a little like the common herring, but much prettier, +for it is covered with bright blue and silver scales, and its fins are +also a brilliant azure. It does not really fly. That is, it has no +wings, but it has very large strong fins attached near its gills, by +means of which it can spring out of the water and dart some distance +through the air. This fish is very nice eating, _particularly_ good, and +it is sought after very eagerly by larger fish. And not only by fish; +the water-fowl who are large enough to eat it, are always on the watch +for the flying-fish, and as the poor thing springs from the water to +enjoy the bright sunshine and fresh air, or perhaps to escape some of +its under-water foes, especially the dolphin who is one of its deadliest +enemies, it frequently finds itself snapped up by the albatross before +it can return to its native element. The albatross loves also to follow +in the wake of ships. For any offal or garbage thrown overboard is +welcome to its hungry maw, and sailors do not often destroy this bird. +When one is taken, however, they hesitate not to make such use of it as +they can; and the large web feet, when cleaned and opened, are favourite +tobacco pouches. I have one by me that was taken from a large albatross +caught on the voyage from Australia. In Kamtschatka the albatross is +caught by the natives and made useful. For in the summer, flocks of +these birds make their way up into the northern latitudes, as is +supposed in order to prey on the shoals of fish which migrate thither. + +The albatross is caught by means of a hook baited with a fish. The +"intestines are blown and used as buoys for nets, and the long hollow +wing bones as tobacco pipes," but the flesh is not good to eat. The +albatross has been seen fully 1000 miles from any shore. Its power of +wing must therefore be very great, but when tired it can walk on the +water with its strong webbed feet, and the sound of its tread is said to +be heard at a great distance. In the breeding season the albatross +retires in company with other sea-birds, particularly the penguin, to +some rocky shore to build its nest. The penguins' and albatrosses' nests +are always found in company, but the penguin robs his neighbour in order +to get the scanty materials which are necessary for his own nest. The +male albatross takes turns with his mate in hatching the young. + +A poor sailor once fell over board from a man-of-war in the Southern +Indian Ocean. In an instant he was attacked by two or three +albatrosses, and though the ship's boat was immediately lowered to his +assistance, nothing of him could be found but his hat, which was pierced +through and through by the strong beak of the albatross, the first blow +having no doubt penetrated to his brain and killed him. + + + + +THE OWL. + + +This solemn looking bird is seldom to be seen by day. It is strictly a +night bird. Its eyes are unable to endure the glare of sunshine, but are +formed for seeing in the dim twilight, or in the soft radiance of the +moon. There are at least eighty different species of owls. This picture +resembles most nearly the Virginian Eagle Owl, an American bird. Our +common barn-door owl has no tufts on its head. Some people are foolish +and cruel enough to persecute owls, under the plea that they do +mischief, destroy pigeon's eggs, etc. But this is a false charge. On the +contrary they are very actively useful creatures, and the humane +naturalist, Mr. Waterton, says that "if this useful bird caught his +food by day instead of hunting it by night, mankind would have ocular +demonstration of its utility in thinning the country of mice, and it +would be protected and encouraged everywhere. It would be with us what +the ibis was with the Egyptians." The ibis is a bird that was found so +useful in destroying locusts and serpents in Egypt, that in olden times +it was made a capital crime for any one to destroy it. Nay, the +idolatrous Egyptians went further, and not only paid divine honours to +this bird, worshipping it as a deity whilst alive, but embalmed its body +after death, and preserved it in the form of a mummy. You may see many +ibis mummies in the Egyptian rooms of the British Museum. Through God's +goodness there is no danger of our going quite so far as the Egyptians +even if we did do justice to the poor abused owl, and it is very much +to be wished that people would learn to see its valuable qualities. +There is no doubt owls are amongst the creatures given to us by God to +do us real service in keeping down the increase of smaller animals, that +would otherwise soon over-run and destroy our food. But as Mr. Waterton +elsewhere says, prejudices are hard to overcome, and I suppose the poor +owl will be hunted and killed, whenever he is to be found by the +ignorant, to the end of the chapter. Some idea may be formed of the +rapid clearance an owl would make of vermin from a barn, from the fact +that, when he has young, he will bring a mouse to the nest every twelve +or fifteen minutes. Mr. Waterton saw his barn owl fly off with a rat he +had just shot. And at another time she plunged into the water and +brought up in her claws a fish, which she carried away to her nest. The +Barn Owl is white, and does not hoot, at least by many this is thought +to be the case. The Brown Owl is the hooting or screech owl, and makes a +very dismal noise. + +[Illustration: THE OWL.] + +The owl can do without drinking for a very long time. Mr. White, of +Selborne, says he knew a Brown Owl to live a whole year without water. +The owl swallows its prey whole when small, and afterwards brings up +from its crop the fur, bones, and other parts that cannot easily be +digested, in the form of a round cake. Hawks are said to do the same +thing. + +The great Virginian Owl is of an immense size, and its cry is said to be +very terrible when heard in the lonely American forests, resembling at +times the last struggling scream of a person being throttled. Owls will +eat raw meat, but their favourite food consists in young mice, and they +may often be seen at twilight, hunting like sporting dogs round the +meadow paths for field-mice which come out at that hour, and going back +every five minutes or so to their nests, to see that all is well at +home. + +If by chance an owl appears in daylight, he is immediately attacked by +all the smaller birds, who know their enemy, and feel pleasure in +insulting him when he cannot revenge himself. For the owl grows so +confused if he lingers abroad till the sun has risen, that he cannot +find his way back to his nest, nor make head against his pursuers, as he +would soon do in the dim twilight. Bird fanciers have been known to take +advantage of this circumstance in Italy, and tying an owl to a tree in +daylight, they lime all the surrounding branches. Troops of little birds +soon find out their helpless foe, and hurrying to attack him with their +little beaks and claws, they perch on the limed twigs, and are taken by +scores. + +The Snowy Owl inhabits the north of Europe, but is sometimes seen in +more southern regions. It pursues hares, of which it is particularly +fond, and often snatches fish from the water, over which it slowly +sails, with a sudden grasp of its foot. It often also accompanies +sportsmen, that it may share in the sport. In winter, when this owl is +fat, the Indians esteem the Snowy owl to be good eating. Its flesh is +delicately white. + + + + +THE GOOSE. + + +Have you not often heard people say "as silly as a goose"? Now I am +going to tell you that the goose is one of the most sensible birds we +know, and not only sensible, but very affectionate, and exceedingly +useful to man. I will tell you some stories of Mrs. Goose presently, +which will show you her real character. But I must begin with her uses. +The goose is to be found in almost every country, and its flesh is very +good eating; but it is principally for its feathers and quills that it +is valued here. The quills, from which our pens, and in part our paint +brushes, are made, are plucked from the pinions of the goose, and the +best featherbeds and pillows are stuffed with her feathers. Geese +love water and marshy places, and Lincolnshire, which is a fenny place, +is famous for breeding them. People there make it their business to keep +perhaps as many as a thousand geese, which, in the course of a year, +will increase seven-fold, the geese being kept in the houses, and even +bedrooms, of their owners whilst hatching, and a person called a gozzard +having the charge of them. They are plucked, poor things, for their +feathers as often as five times a year, and for their quills once. Even +the young goslings of six weeks' old are deprived of their tail +feathers, in order, as it is said, to accustom them to this cruel +operation. When ready for the London market, the geese are marched +slowly up from Lincolnshire to London, in flocks of from two to nine +thousand. Being slow travellers, they are on foot from three in the +morning to nine in the evening, and during that time get through about +nine miles. + +[Illustration: THE GOOSE.] + +Amongst the Romans this bird was held sacred to Juno, their supreme +heathen goddess; indeed, it appears to have been looked upon with +reverence by all ancient nations, and not longer ago than the time of +the Crusades, a goose was carried as a standard from our own country by +an irregular band of crusaders. Possibly in former times the good +qualities of the goose were better known than now; for the sagacity and +affection of this bird have been proved by so many well authenticated +instances, that I am at a loss which to select for your entertainment, +and must try to choose those you are least likely to have met with +already. As a proof of the goose's sagacity, is the following. A goose +begun to sit on six or eight eggs, when the dairy maid, thinking she +could hatch a larger number, put in as many duck eggs, which could +scarcely be distinguished from the others. On visiting the nest next +morning, all the duck eggs were found put out of the nest on the ground. +They were replaced, but the next morning were again found picked out and +laid outside, whilst the goose remained sitting on the whole of her own +eggs. Lest she should abandon the nest altogether, she was not troubled +with the strange eggs again, but allowed to rear her own children in +peace. There are a vast number of stories told of singular and strong +attachments formed by geese to people. We hear of one old gander who +used to lead his old blind mistress to church, graze in the churchyard +during the service (for I ought to have told you that geese eat grass +like oxen), and then lead her home again. A goose attached itself so +strongly to its master that it forsook for him the society of its +fellows, followed him wherever he went, even through the crowded +streets, sat, if allowed, upon his lap, and responded with a cry of +delight to every sound of his voice. Even to other animals the goose has +been known to show strong affection. There was once a goose who had been +saved by a dog from the ravenous jaws of a fox. She seemed from that +time to centre all her affection on her preserver, left the poultry yard +for his side, tried to bite any one at whom she heard him bark, and, if +driven away into the field, would sit all day at the gate from which she +could gaze on her friend. The dog at last fell ill, but the faithful +goose would not leave him, and would have died, for want of food, at his +side had not corn been put near the kennel. The dog died, but she would +not leave the kennel, and I am sorry to tell you that when a new dog +was brought, very much like the old one, as she ran to greet him, +hoping it was her old friend restored, he seized her by the neck and put +an end to her faithful life. One more story I must tell you, though I +have already said so much. A game cock had cruelly attacked a goose on +her nest, and even pecked out one of her eyes. The gander took his +mate's part, and fought over and over again with the enemy. One day, +during his absence, the game cock attacked the goose again, when the +gander, hearing a noise, ran up, and, seizing the cock, dragged him into +the pond where he ducked him repeatedly until he had made an end of him. +In Russia, ganders are taught to fight each other, and a trained gander +has been known to sell for twenty pounds. + +There is a very beautiful goose called the Egyptian Goose, or goose of +the Nile. Its feathers are very handsomely marked with black, brown, +green, and white. It is the goose so often represented, in old fresco +paintings of heathen temples, by the ancients. This goose is famous for +its devotion to its young. The old birds will remain with their +offspring during times of most imminent danger, refusing to save +themselves and leave their young in peril. + +The Canada Goose is also another prettily-marked variety of goose. And +although not a native of this country, its migratory habits often bring +it to this shore. + + + + +[Illustration: THE MAGPIE.] + +THE MAGPIE. + + +The Magpie is a very pretty and cunning bird. It is easy to teach it to +speak, and it may be rendered very tame. Where high trees abound, the +magpie chooses the very highest and most difficult to climb for its +nest. But otherwise, when secure of not being injured, it will often +build in low bushes round about houses. This is particularly the case in +Norway and Sweden, where an idea prevails that it is unlucky to kill +them. + +An interesting account is given by a gentleman of a pair of magpies that +built for several successive years in a gooseberry bush near a house in +Scotland, where there were no trees for a considerable distance. In +order to secure themselves from cats, &c., they brought briars and +thorns in quantities all round the bush, and pulled rough prickly sticks +so closely and in such numbers in amongst the branches, that even a man +would have found the greatest difficulty in getting at their soft warm +little abode within. The barrier all round was more than a foot thick. +They were kindly protected by the family to whom the garden belonged, +but one day the hen magpie was ungrateful enough to seize a little +chicken, which she carried up to the top of the house to eat; the poor +little thing screamed loudly. But the hen, who can be brave enough when +her young are in danger, hearing the cry, flew to the rescue, and soon +obtained possession of her chick, which she brought safely down in her +beak; nor did it utter one cry then, though I daresay mamma pinched it +sadly. I think I can find you one more pleasing story of the magpie. +Some boys once took a raven's nest and put it in a waggon in a +cart-shed. A magpie, whose nest they had also plundered, hearing the +young birds cry, came to them with food, and continued to supply the +little ravens until they were given away by the boys. + +In Sweden, as I said before, neither the magpie nor its eggs are ever +touched, whilst Mr. Hewitson, writing of Norway, says: "The magpie is +one of the most abundant, as well as the most interesting of the +Norwegian birds; noted for its sly, cunning habits here, its altered +demeanour there is the more remarkable. It is upon the most familiar +terms with the inhabitants, picking close about their doors, and +sometimes walking inside their houses. It abounds in the town of +Drontheim, making its nest upon the churches and warehouses. We saw as +many as a dozen of them at one time seated upon the gravestones in the +churchyard. Few farm-houses are without several of them breeding under +the eaves, their nest supported by the spout. In some trees close to +houses their nests were several feet in depth, the accumulation of years +of undisturbed and quiet possession." + + + + +[Illustration: THE PHEASANT.] + +THE PHEASANT. + + +This beautiful bird comes originally from the East, and takes its name +from the river Phasis, in Colchis, Asia Minor, whence it was first +brought to Europe by the Argonauts. The pheasant is one of the most +beautiful of all fowls, and can only be rivalled by the peacock. The +shifting hues upon his neck, and the brilliant scarlet and black around +his head, strike every beholder with admiration. Pheasants are very good +to eat, but sportsmen are not allowed to shoot them until the 1st of +October, in order that they may have time to rear their young. In +ancient times the pheasant was held in reverence by the heathen, and it +was only on the most solemn occasions that they were used as food, and +then only by the emperors of Rome. There are no pheasants in America, +and, on account of their short wings and heavy bodies, they never fly +from one country to another. But they increase very rapidly in number, a +single pair having been known to produce as many as 183 eggs in a +season. The sportsman, however, takes care to keep their numbers within +due limits. Their habit of squatting or sitting so close to the earth, +has been supposed to be an instinctive act to save themselves from the +attacks of the hawk, who is unable to master his prey, if large and +strong, near the ground, where it could offer resistance. I have met +with a story of a pheasant which proves that this bird is very bold and +courageous. "A young lady walking alone a few miles from Stirling (in +Scotland), observed a beautiful cock pheasant perched on a stone by the +road side. Instead of showing timidity at her approach, he flew down +upon her, and, with spurs and beak, began a furious assault. Being +closely pursued, and seeing no way of escape from the enraged bird, she +adopted the only alternative that was left, namely, of seizing her +adversary, whom she carried home, but soon afterwards released; on the +door being opened, however, he went out without any sign of fear, and, +with a deliberate step, paced backwards and forwards in front of the +house, and manifested an inclination to join the fowls in the poultry +yard. It should be remarked that the young lady, when attacked, wore a +scarlet mantle, which probably excited the irritability of the pheasant, +as it is well known to do that of the turkey-cock, and some other +animals." + +Wild pheasants feed on grain, seed, green leaves, and insects. They have +been seen as eager as country children after the ripe blackberries in +the hedges, or, later in the year, after sloes and haws. The root of the +buttercup is also a very favourite food of the pheasant, and they will +eat greedily of acorns. When kept in confinement, the young birds +require very careful feeding with ants' eggs, and many other kinds of +soft provision. + + + + +[Illustration: THE FLAMINGO.] + +THE FLAMINGO. + + +Is not this a beautiful bird, though rather singular in its appearance? +To see it in perfection we should have to travel at least as far as +Sardinia, and possibly to Africa, its native country. Observe its +wonderfully long and slender legs. They are so formed as to enable it to +wade into morasses, or even rivers, in quest of food, but it can also +swim, when so disposed, being perfectly web-footed. The beak of the +flamingo is not less remarkable than its legs, and it seems puzzling, +until we know the truth, how the bird can gather up its food from mud +and water, with that awkward turned-in bill. But the fact is, that the +flamingo feeds very differently to other birds, turning the back of its +head to the ground, and spooning up the mud or water in which it finds +its sustenance with the upper mandible. It is able to do this very +easily from the unusual length of its neck, and the beak is provided +with the means of filtering the mud, as I told you that of the duck is +also. But in this instance the apparatus provided is said to act more +like the whalebone sieve possessed by the whale. The brilliant plumage +of the flamingo is very beautiful. M. de la Marmora, in his "Voyage to +Sardinia," speaks in great admiration of the effect produced by a flock +of flamingoes in the air. These birds are gregarious--that is, they live +in large companies, and when returning from Africa to the borders of a +lake, which is one of their favourite haunts, near Cagliari, all the +inhabitants are attracted by the splendour of their appearance. Like a +triangular band of fire in the air, they gradually come onwards, until +within sight of the lake. Poised on the wing for an instant, they hang +motionless over the end of their weary flight; then, by a slow circular +movement, they trace a spiral descent and range themselves like a line +of soldiers in battle array upon the borders of the lake. But no one +dares approach them more nearly, for the air from the lake is at this +season, though perfectly harmless to the flamingo, deadly poison to a +human creature. + +Taught by God, the flamingo has, however, another means of security than +the malaria from the intrusion which its brilliant colouring would be +sure to draw upon it. In other respects, besides its red coat, it has +been compared to the soldier. When feeding or resting (which they do on +one leg, the other drawn up close to the body, and the head under the +wing), the flamingoes are drawn up in lines, and sentinels, very +watchful ones too, are placed to guard these shy and cautious birds. At +the first appearance of danger, the sentinel flamingo utters a loud cry, +much resembling the sound of a trumpet, upon which the whole flock +instantly takes flight, and always in the form of a triangle. + +Do not you think sitting on her eggs must be rather cramping work for +the flamingo with those long legs? But I will tell you how cleverly she +contrives. Instead of building a nest on the ground, where she would +find it impossible to cower closely enough over her eggs to keep them +warm, the flamingo heaps up a hill of earth so high, that she can sit +comfortably upon it with her long legs dangling, one on each side. At +the top is a hollow just large enough to hold her two or three white +eggs. A full-grown flamingo stands between five and six feet high. There +is another species of this bird much smaller, called the little +flamingo. The Romans ate these birds, and Heliogabalus, the profane +Emperor, delighted in a dish of their tongues, which are large, +considering the size of the bird. In modern times, however, the flesh is +rejected as fishy, but the feathers are highly valued. + + + + +THE SWAN. + + +You are no doubt well acquainted with this beautiful bird, and have +perhaps fed some of its species, by the ornamental waters of the parks. +Or perhaps, and that is far better, you have seen it sailing +majestically down the river Thames, free and unconfined, enjoying its +perfect liberty. The swan has been called a royal bird, being formerly +regarded as the exclusive property of the crown, and even now there are +but few exceptions to the rule. The royal swans, that is those belonging +to the Crown, are marked in a particular manner on the bill, and every +year, on the first Monday in August, men, now called swan-hoppers (a +corruption of the old term swan-uppers, because they went up the +river after the swans), proceed up the Thames to mark the young swans +hatched during the year. The Dyers' Company and the Vintners' Company +also own swans in the Thames, which were granted to them in olden times. +The Vintners' mark for their swans is a nick or notch on each side of +the beak, from which their swans have been called, merrily, "swans with +two necks" (nicks). Perhaps you have heard of an inn, which has a swan +with two necks as a sign; now you will understand how it came by so +strange a name. + +[Illustration: THE SWAN.] + +The swan builds his nest of sticks near the river side, generally +amongst the reeds. If disturbed, the male bird assumes a very warlike +attitude, and will attack the intruder with great violence. The swan is +a strong, powerful bird, and I have heard of a boy whose arm was broken +by a blow from a swan's wing, because he ventured too near the nest. But +when not sitting, swans are harmless, gentle birds. They live to a great +age, feeding on coarse grass and water-weeds. Young swans are called +cygnets, and are at first quite grey or light brown; they do not become +perfectly white until the beginning of the third year. The swan is not a +native of our island, but comes originally from the East, and is, when +in a state of nature, migratory in its habits. One species of wild swan, +called the Hooper, or Whistling Swan, spends the winter in warm +climates, sometimes flying as far south as Africa, and returns in spring +to Iceland, Norway, Lapland, and Siberia. This bird is hunted eagerly by +the Icelanders for its soft white down. The season chosen is the +moulting time, when the poor birds, having lost their quill feathers, +are unable to fly away; and with trained dogs which catch them by the +neck, and little ponies which ride them down, the swans are taken in +great numbers. + +The Black Swan is another variety, found in Australia. Formerly this +bird was considered very rare, but now it may be seen any day in one or +other of the parks. Swans are very particular in not allowing their +neighbours to intrude on their domains. If a strange swan comes to that +part of the river which has been already appropriated, he is instantly +pursued and compelled to return to his own family. Once two White Swans +attacked a poor Black Swan on the lake in the Regent's Park, and at last +drove him ashore so exhausted that he fell dead. The White Swans kept +sailing up and down to the spot where he fell, with every feather on +end, and apparently proud of their conquest. Swans are fond of their +young, and the mother will often carry her young ones to another part of +the river on her back. Cygnets are good to eat, and the corporation of +Norwich, who boast this treat at their public dinners, are bound, by +some old regulation, to present the Duke of Norfolk every year with an +immense cygnet pie. + +The Wild Swan has a very loud call, and utters a melancholy cry when one +of the flock is killed. The Wild Swans of Hudson's Bay furnish the +finest quills used for writing. Swans and their eggs are still protected +by several statutes, and to steal the latter is felony. + +I will copy for you an instance in which a swan once showed that +wonderful instinct with which all animals are gifted by God. "Whilst +sitting on her eggs, she was one day seen to be very busy, collecting +weeds, grasses, and other materials to raise her nest. A farming man was +ordered to take down half a load of haulm, with which she most +industriously elevated her nest and eggs two feet and a half. That very +night there came down a tremendous fall of rain, which flooded all the +malt-kilns, and did great damage. _Man_ made no preparation, the _bird_ +did. Her eggs were above, and only just above, the water." + + + + +THE KESTREL. + + +This picture represents the kestrel, one of the smallest and most +beautiful of hawks. The hawk is a bird of prey, feeding on small birds, +chickens and mice. In order to secure his prey the hawk holds himself +suspended, as it were, in the air on his wide spread wings, until he +sees a favourable opportunity, and then suddenly pounces down upon his +victim. Other birds well know the predatory habits of the hawk, and when +one appears in sight they fly with loud screams of fear. Little chickens +throw themselves upon their backs, if one hovers over the poultry yard, +from some instinctive notion of defending themselves with their feet, +whilst all the hens shriek in concert, and prepare for a desperate +defence. But though so great an enemy of young poultry, a singular +instance is recorded of a hawk, which not only sat upon the eggs of a +common fowl, but even attended with great care to the little ones when +they were hatched. + +[Illustration: THE KESTREL.] + +Many of the different kinds of hawk were used in olden times for a sport +called hawking. That is, they were trained to fly at game and return +with it to their masters. Large gay parties of ladies and gentlemen used +then to go out on horseback with their hawks for a day's sport, just as +now they go for a pic-nic, or a day in the woods. This was before guns +were used. But to this day hawking is practised in China, where the +emperor goes on "sporting excursions with his grand falconer and a +thousand of inferior rank; every bird having a silver plate fastened to +its foot, with the name of the falconer who has the charge of it." The +bird used on these occasions is the species known as the Gos-hawk, which +was always with us most highly esteemed in falconry. These birds were +carried on the wrist, bells were hung to their legs, and their heads +were hooded or covered until the moment came for letting them fly at the +game. Whilst under training a string was fastened to them that they +might be "reclaimed," as it was called, at the pleasure of their owners. +The person, who carried the hawk, wore gloves to protect his hand from +the sharp talons of the bird. The kestrel migrates in autumn, going away +at the same time with the larks, which are its favourite food. + +The Sparrow-hawk is a larger and fiercer bird, and the one that preys +most frequently on chickens. A gentleman once missed a great many +chickens from his poultry yard, and, after a little careful watching, +he found the plunderer was none other than a large, hungry Sparrow-hawk. +To catch the thief, he ordered a net to be hung up in such a way that +the hawk in his next visit could not fail to be entangled. The net was +hung, the thief was caught, and, in order to punish the murderer as he +deserved, the gentleman gave him over to the tender mercies of the brood +hens whose families he had desolated. That he might be helpless in their +hands, his wings and talons were cut, and a cork was put on his beak. +The cries and screams of the bereaved mothers were said, by Mr. White, +the charming naturalist of Selborne, to be wonderfully expressive of +rage, fear, and revenge; they flew upon him in a body, they +"upbraided--they execrated--they insulted--they triumphed--in a word +they never desisted from buffeting their adversary until they had torn +him in a hundred pieces." + +The Hawk is very bold. Mr. P. John tells of one that he found calmly +plucking the feathers of a large pigeon on the drawing-room floor, +having followed the poor bird through the open window into the room and +there killed it. And another actually chased a pigeon through the glass +of his "drawing-room window, out at the other end of the house through +another window, not at all scared by the clattering of the broken +glass." + + + + +[Illustration: THE VULTURE.] + +THE VULTURE. + + +This strange looking bird is also a bird of prey; but it feeds generally +on dead carcases or offal. There are several kinds of vulture. The +largest of all birds of prey is the Condor, a South American species. +There is also the King Vulture, a native of the same country, called so +not from its size, for it is the smallest of the race, but from its +elegant plumage. Mr. Waterton, the naturalist, relates a little story of +a King Vulture, which seems to show that, though so much smaller, this +bird is regarded with some degree of reverence by the common vultures. +He says that "the carcase of a large snake, which he had killed in the +forest, becoming putrid, about twenty of the common vultures came and +perched in the neighbouring trees; amongst them came also the King of +the Vultures; and he observed that none of the common ones seemed +inclined to begin breakfast till his majesty had finished. When he had +consumed as much snake as nature informed him would do him good, he +retired to the top of a high mora-tree, and then all the common vultures +fell to, and made a hearty meal." Mr. Waterton also observed that the +day after the planter had burnt the trash in a cane-field, the King +Vulture might be seen feeding on the snakes, lizards, and frogs, which +had suffered in the conflagration. Indeed the vulture is of real service +in this respect, for he clears the carrion away from the hot countries +he inhabits, which would otherwise putrify and infect the air. In some +places, as at Paramaribo, the value of these birds, on this account, is +so fully recognized, that they are protected by law, a fine being +imposed on him who kills one. + +The vulture is to be found in almost all hot countries. A traveller in +Abyssinia speaks of having seen them hovering, as a black cloud, over an +army of soldiers, in numbers like the sands of the sea. After a battle +they come sweeping down to feed upon the slain. Indeed they prefer dead +to living food, and must be endowed with a wonderfully keen sense of +sight or smell, the former is thought most likely, as no sooner does a +beast of burden drop in the deserts exhausted on the sands, than +vultures begin to make their way towards the carcase. Whence they come +none can tell, and the only probable suggestion is that they hover at a +height beyond the ken of human eye over a passing caravan, for they are +first noticed as specks in the air above, moving slowly round in +circles as they descend spirally upon their prey. + +These birds are most voracious, gorging themselves with as much as they +can possibly contrive to swallow. They are also very strong and +difficult to kill, one of the condors having been known to walk about +after it had been strangled and hung on a tree with a lasso for several +minutes, and to keep on its legs after receiving three balls from a +pistol. + +The vulture is wonderfully fitted by nature for the part it has to fill +as "scavenger" abroad, this being the name they often go by. It is large +and strong, so that the carcase of a horse or a buffalo is not too much +for it to attack. Its legs are strong, but not armed with sharp claws +like those of birds that feed on living prey. Its wings are long and +wide, and its bones, though thick, unusually light, so that the bird +can remain an immense time poised in the highest regions of the +atmosphere. Its beak is strong and hooked, and remarkably well formed +for tearing or dividing, and what is still more noticeable, the head and +neck which, from the disgusting nature of its food, must often be buried +in unclean carcases, are quite, or very nearly, destitute of feathers, +which, in such a situation, would be soon covered with dirt or blood, +and could not be kept clean by the bird's own bill. The smell of +vultures is, as may be supposed, very offensive, and they are altogether +very disagreeable birds to have anything to do with; but they are +appointed to fill a particular office in the world, and are found +invaluable in performing it. + +The largest vultures are fifteen or sixteen feet from the tip of one +wing to the tip of the other, even when not stretched to the utmost, +and four feet from beak to tail. Its legs are as thick as a man's wrist, +and its middle claw seven inches long. They bring forth their young on +the tops of inaccessible rocks, in sunny regions, more than twelve +thousand feet above the level of the sea. + +The European Vulture dwells amongst the Alps, but flies as far as the +mountains of Africa and Asia. It is not so large as the condor, seldom +exceeding the size of an eagle. + + + + +[Illustration: THE COCKATOO (OR PARROT).] + +THE PARROT. + + +Now I have to talk to you of much prettier birds, though, alas! to tell +the truth, not half so useful as the disgusting vulture of whom we have +been speaking. This picture represents a cockatoo, one of the parrot +tribe, of which there are at least 250 species, including, besides this, +the parrot, macaw, lory, parrakeet, etc., etc. + +Parrots are all, for the most part, tropical birds, and in their native +climates the most numerous of the feathered tribes. There, amongst +brilliant creepers and dazzling sunshine, the "parrots swing like +blossoms on the trees." + +The foot of the parrot is formed for climbing, being, as Linnaeus would +say, _scansorial_, that is, with two toes forwards and two backwards. +The strong hooked beak is also used as a third foot in climbing, very +much as the long tail of a monkey helps him in flinging himself from one +branch to another. + +They fly often in large flocks, and are killed and eaten as food. Indeed +they are so destructive to the farmer's crops, that he kills them in +self-defence. Do you know the pretty little Australian singing parrot, +about as large as a yellow hammer, green and gold coloured? Well, I was +told by a gentleman that he once ate part of a pudding which contained +at least thirty of these little creatures, for each of which here one +would have to pay heavily enough, and be only too anxious to take every +care of afterwards to preserve it alive. + +The cockatoo is also found in New Holland, and is chiefly remarkable for +its beautiful sulphur coloured crest. The finest macaws come from South +America; they are larger than parrots, and have magnificent plumage of +blue, crimson, green and yellow. Seen in their native land in large +flocks they are said to resemble a flying rainbow. Lories are so called +from their frequently repeating the word lory. The grey African Parrot +is the best speaker, for I need not tell you how closely almost all +kinds of parrot can imitate the human voice. None imitate so closely as +this, the plainest in its personal appearance. It seems to take pains to +learn, but prefers being taught by children. Very many amusing stories +are told of its docility and sagacity. A very clever man tells of one +that was introduced to Prince Maurice in a room in Brazil, where he was +in company with several Dutchmen. The bird immediately exclaimed in the +Brazilian language, "What a company of white men is here." Being asked, +"Who is that man?" (pointing to the Prince) it answered, "Some general +or other." When asked, "Where do you come from?" it replied, "From +Marignan." "To whom do you belong?" "To a Portuguese." The Prince then +asked, "What do you do there?" it answered, "I look after the chickens." +The Prince, laughing, exclaimed, "You look after the chickens!" "Yes," +says Poll, "I can, I know very well how to do it," clucking at the same +time like a hen calling her brood. We are told also of a parrot that +learned to repeat the Apostles' Creed quite perfectly, and on that +account was bought by a cardinal for 100 crowns. + +The bite of a parrot is very violent, so that unless assured they are +good tempered you will do well not to approach a strange bird too +closely. The cause of this power in the beak is that, in order to +enable it to climb about more easily, the upper mandible, or bone, +instead of forming a continuation as it were of the skull bone, as in +other birds, is united by a membrane which enables it to raise or +depress the beak at its pleasure. This gives much greater force to its +power of grasping. Parrots do not build nests nor hatch young in this +country, but they thrive abundantly, and, when well treated, show no +symptoms of pining. + +There are some very pretty little birds of the parrot tribe called +love-birds, from their affectionate nature. They are quite worthy of the +name, as they show the utmost tenderness for each other, both in health +and sickness. + + + + +THE LAPWING. + + +This little bird which is often called the Pewit, from its uttering +frequently a cry resembling the sound of this word, builds its nest or +rather lays its eggs, for it builds no regular nest, amongst long grass +or heather on open downs. If any one goes near the nest, the watchful +mother, who knows herself too weak to defend her young, tries by all +manner of artful contrivances to draw away the stranger's attention. She +will hover close to his ear screaming, or else flutter along the ground +as if wounded and unable to fly. And when by this means she has drawn +aside the feet of the passer-by to some distance, she will suddenly rise +in the air and return to her nest. The eggs of this bird are eagerly +sought after as an article of food, so she is naturally driven to try +her utmost to secure her nest from intruders. In Scotland formerly the +Lapwing was very abundant, and there exists a curious old act of the +Scotch parliament passed before England and Scotland were as friendly as +they are now, encouraging the destruction of the Lapwing "as an +ungrateful bird, which came to Scotland to breed, and then returned to +England to feed the enemy." Worms are their favourite food, but being +unable to pierce the ground with their weak, short beaks they are +ingenious enough to have recourse to the expedient of tapping on the +earth with their bills. The earth-worm, who is very sensitive of danger, +comes up in alarm from his quaking habitation, and is instantly pounced +upon by the attentive lapwing. + +[Illustration: THE LAPWING.] + +This bird is easily tamed, and I will conclude with an account of one +kept by a clergyman, that is related by Professor Rennie. "It lived +chiefly on insects, but, as the winter drew on these failed, and +necessity compelled the poor bird to approach the house, from which it +had previously remained at a distance, and a servant, hearing its feeble +cry, as if it were asking charity, opened for it the door of the back +kitchen. It did not venture far at first, but it became daily more +familiar and emboldened as the cold increased, till at length it +actually entered the kitchen, though already occupied by a dog and a +cat. By degrees it at length came to so good an understanding with these +animals, that it entered regularly at nightfall, and established itself +at the chimney corner, where it remained snugly beside them for the +night; but as soon as the warmth of spring returned, it preferred +roosting in the garden, though it resumed its place at the chimney +corner the ensuing winter. Instead of being afraid of its two old +acquaintances, the dog and cat, it now treated them as inferiors, and +arrogated to itself the place which it had previously obtained by +solicitation. This interesting pet was at last choked by a bone which it +had swallowed." + +When its eggs are laid, the pewit will fight fiercely with any other of +its species which comes too near it. Mr. P. John saw one attack a +wounded bird which came near his nest. "The pugnacious little fellow ran +up to the intruder, and, taking advantage of his weakness, jumped on +him, trampling upon him, and pecking at his head, and then dragging him +along the ground as fiercely as a game-cock." + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mamma's Stories about Birds, by +Anonymous (AKA the author of "Chickseed without Chickweed") + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAMMA'S STORIES ABOUT BIRDS *** + +***** This file should be named 24378.txt or 24378.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/3/7/24378/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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