CANNIBALS IN COURT 343 



the occupation of sportsmen. These birds may belong 

 to the working gnikls, and all have habits interesting 

 to bird-lovers ; but as regards their value to the world, 

 it is mostly in the shape of food for House People." 



•' Then it isn't wrong for people to kill these birds for 

 food ? " 



'^ No, not if it is done fairly, in a true sportsmanlike 

 spirit, and not Avith traps or snares, or in the nesting 

 season, when no bird should be molested. The true 

 sportsman never shoots a bird out of season, or a song 

 bird at any time, and it is owing to his care that laws 

 are made to stop the j^ot-hunters." 



" Are the game birds tree birds, or what ? " asked 

 Dodo. 



'' There are many kinds," said tlie Doctor. '' Some of 

 them have cooing notes and buikl their nests in trees ; 

 these belong to the Pigeon family. Some scratch about 

 and feed on the ground, where they also nest, like our 

 barnyard poultry. Others run along the banks of riv- 

 ers or on the sea-beaches, where they wade in shallow 

 water to pick up their food, like Snipes and Plovers; 

 while others swim with their webbed feet and take 

 their food from deep water, like Geese and Ducks. 

 There are a few game birds in this glass case — some 

 Pigeons and Grouse ; suppose we finish the morning in 

 their company ? 



" We will call Pigeons the Birds that Coo ; and 

 Grouse are some of the Birds that Scratch, so called 

 because tliey all have much the same habit as our do- 

 mestic fowls of scratching the ground for food and to 

 raise a dust in which they take a sort of bath. See, 

 this Cooer is called the Passenger Pigeon." 



