The Starling. 96 



breeding season, as well as when returning home again. When 

 settled down into their summer locations, these birds divide 

 off into little companies of one male and two or three females, 

 though sometimes they pair male and female together: during 

 this period the cocks fight fiercely among themselves, and 

 not a seraglio is formed without a pitched battle or two 

 taking place among the rival suitors. 



In China and India advantage is taken of the pugnacious 

 disposition of these birds during the breeding season, to train 

 them for fighting matches, as was formerly done in England 

 with game cocks; and large sums of money are not unfre- 

 quently staked upon the issue of an encounter; which is 

 arranged as follows: — a number of people match their own 

 Quails against an equal number of these birds belonging to 

 others of their acquaintance ; the victors in this preliminary 

 contest are then made to fight among themselves, and so on, 

 until only one bird is left, which is pronounced the winner, 

 and the fortunate owner of this bird pockets the stakes. 



It is unnecessary for me to protest against the barbarity 

 of the practice, and I am glad to think that if it ever existed 

 in this country. Quail fighting, as an amusement (!) for 

 human lookers on, has ceased as entirely as cock-fighting, which 

 was once an every- day pastime for high and low, but is now 

 put down by the strong arm of the law, as a practice un- 

 worthy of a civilized community. 



CHAPTER XXVL 



THE STAELING. 



THIS is another bird I have not cared to keep for any 

 length of time. I have never attempted to bring it up 

 by hand from the nest, but once caught one that had fallen. 



