108 RASORES. SCRAPERS. 



are numerous, and the young, which are born with their eyes 

 open, and their body covered with close stiffish down, are able 

 to run about in a few minutes or immediately after exclusion. 

 From the nature of their food, they do not always require the 

 care of their male parent, but are led by their mother, who 

 manifests the greatest anxiety for their welfare, protects them 

 from cold and wet under her wings, feigns lameness to draw 

 intruders after her, while they remain squatted, and eagerly 

 points out to them the substances on which they may feed. 

 Many of the Gallinaceous birds habitually scrape up the earth 

 and dry leaves with their feet, for the purpose of exposing the 

 seeds or insects ; and it is for this reason that they have ob- 

 tained the name of Rasores or Scrapers. They have also a 

 habit, like the Pigeons, Huskers, and some other birds, of lying 

 in the sand or dry earth, and scattering it over them with their 

 feet and wings ; or rather, they are fond of basking in the sun, 

 and of lying in warm sheltered places. 



The British species are too few and too little diversified to 

 render it useful to speak generally of them here ; further than 

 that, being all of moderate or large size, excepting one, they 

 are exposed to numerous enemies, of whom, however, man, 

 while he fosters them, commits greater havock among them 

 than all the rest. They belong to the genera Phasianus^ 

 Tetrao^ Lagopus, Perdix^ Coturnix^ and Ortyx. The first of 

 these belongs to the family of Gallinae, of which it is not ne- 

 cessary to give the general characters, as our only species and 

 the Domestic Fowl, with which every person is familiar, are 

 representatives sufliciently characteristic to afford a good gene- 

 ral idea of those beautiful birds, whose natural residence is in 

 the warmer and temperate parts of Asia, especially India and 

 China. 



