SIDE LIGHTS ON BIRDS 



its strange booming cry is said to resemble the 

 wail of the hyaena. Throughout the Scriptures 

 it is spoken of as frequenting waste and desert 

 places, and is constantly used as the emblem of 

 desolation. 



In regard to domestic poultry, they would appear 

 to have been introduced through Persia from 

 India into Europe, and in our Lord's time were 

 generally established in Palestine. 



In reference to cock-crowing, the word "twice," 

 recorded by St. Mark alone, is note-worthy. 

 The cock crows about 2 a.m., and again at 4 a.m. 

 In the idioms of the South Sea Islanders the 

 earlier is called the " false " cock-crow, the later 

 the ' ' true " or more commonly the ' ' cock-crow." 



The brooding of the hen and her habit of 

 sheltering the chickens beneath her wings are 

 constantly used as typical of care and tenderness. 



Of partridges, two species are common in 

 Palestine, both different from ours, and both 

 resorting to hilly ground. The francolin takes 

 their place in the plains, and the various sand- 

 grouse — one species of which appears at irregular 

 intervals in England — are found in the deserts. 

 In various passages allusion is made to the chasing 

 of the partridge (probably with throw-sticks) on 

 the mountains, to the continual robbing of their 

 eggs by man, to the keeping of decoy partridges, 

 a practice common to-day in the East. The 

 quail, which is referred to as providing food for 

 the Israelites in their wanderings, is of the same 

 species as the birds known in Great Britain. On 

 migration in spring they are in the habit of 

 crossing the desert in countless myriads, flying 

 very low, and often in the morning so utterly 

 exhausted by their night's flight, that they are 

 slaughtered by thousands. They always fly 

 with the wind. 



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