226 



WITH BOAT ATO) GUN IN THE YANGTZE VALLEY. 



SPORTING TERMS FOR COMPANIES OF BIRDS. 



The generally accepted terms are as follows : — 



Of Swans 



„ Geese on the water 



„ „ when flying ... 



„ feeding 

 „ Duck when flying ... 

 on the water ... 



„ Widgeon (according to quantity) 



„ Teal 



„ Plover 



„ Coots 



„ Herons 



„ Plovers 



„ Curlews 



„ Lapwings 



„ Snipes 



„ Mallards 



„ Pheasants 



„ Partridges 



„ Quail 



A herd 

 A gaggle 

 A string 

 A skein 

 A flock 

 A team 

 A paddling 



A company 

 A bunch 

 A trip 

 A knob 

 A spring 

 A dopping 

 A Covert 

 A sedge 



A wing 



A herd 



A desert 



A walk 



A whisp 



A spring 



A sord 



A nide 



A covey 



A bevy 



TO ASCERTAIN THE AGE OF GAME. 



Weight is generally the test of the age of a bird. "With the forefinger and thumb 

 take firm hold of the lower mandible of the beak, and lift the bird thereby. If the bird be an 

 old one the beak will sustain its entire weight without yielding; but if on the contrary, it be 

 young the beak will yield and, perhaps, break. A cock-pheasant one year old has a short spur 

 without any point, in fact round. In a two years' old bird it is still short but pointed. In a 

 three or fours years' cock it becomes long and very sharp, and the plumage becomes much 

 darker." In China pheasants must sometimes reach a good old age, for it is no uncommon 

 thing to come across cock birds with two spurs. "The plumage of the hen bird also grows 

 darker with age. The ears of young hares may be easily torn with the fingers." — Rural 

 Almanack, 1 886. 



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