816 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



birds performed their task. He says, " The 

 birds are educated as men rear up spaniels or 

 hawks, and one man can easily manage a 

 hundred. The fisher carries them out into 

 the lake, perched on the gunwale of his boat, 

 where they continue tranquil, and expecting 

 his orders with patience. When arrived at the 

 proper place, at the first signal given, each 

 flies a different way to fulfill the task assigned 

 it. It is very pleasing, on this occasion, to 

 observe with what sagacity they portion out 

 the lake or the canal where they are upon 

 duty. They hunt about, they plunge, they 

 rise a hundred times to the surface, until they 

 have at last found their prey. They then seize 

 it with their beak by the middle, and carry it 

 to their master. When the fish is too large, 

 they give each other mutual assistance ; one 

 seizes it by the head, the other by the tail, and 

 thus carry it to the boat together. There the 

 boatman stretches out one of his long oars, on 

 which they perch, and on being delivered of 

 their burden, they fly off to continue their 

 sport. When wearied, he allows them to rest 

 for a while ; but they are never fed till their 

 Avork is over. In this manner they supply a 

 very plentiful table ; but still, their natural 

 gluttony cannot even be reclaimed by educa- 



