232 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



are, will very soon be down on the danger of flying 

 over one bank within shot, if from that bank, when 

 driven, they are always shot at. The lesser wild 

 foAvl at Heron Court become so in regard to the 

 "gazes," or hiding-places on Lord Malmsbury's rivers. 

 Towards the end of the season ; and, in the history of 

 birds, and study of their nature, I have undoubt- 

 edly observed that they have some means of com- 

 municating danger to others of their species, not 

 merely an approaching or imminent danger, but a 

 dangerous thing to be avoided thence and thereafter ; 

 and this caution is taught to the generation that 

 are coming in the egg, as well as to stranger-fowl who 

 have had no personal or local experience. Curious 

 as this assertion is, and unaccountable as is the 

 fact, though I have observed it generally, I will 

 give the last instance that has freshened on my 

 observation, and in testimony of its truth I refer 

 the reader to tlie railway porters and plate-layers. 

 When the electric wires were first put up, a vast 

 number of birds which in windy weather fly swiftly 

 and low, killed themselves in their flight by con- 

 cussion with the wires. These victims consisted 

 chiefly of golden plovers, black game, grouse, wood- 

 cocks, snipes, partridges, and occasionally wood 

 pigeons, pheasants, and a few other birds ; but since 

 the wires have been up, now a space of some years, 

 the deaths by birds flying against them have con- 

 siderably decreased. Take the line through the New 

 Forest : there, since the most salutary law introduced 

 by his late Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, 

 that there should be no shooting of any sort of game 

 in it till the first of October, wild game of all sorts 

 have decidedly increased ; yet not so many as before 



