BIRDS. 431 



pick up a number of grains which are shaken from 

 the sheaves by the agitation of the carriages. Thus, 

 when my brother used to take down his gun to shoot 

 sparrows, his cats would run out before him, to be ready 

 to catch up the birds as they fell 4 . 



4 The insolence of some birds, when they are quite tame, is astonishing; 

 and in none more than the silver pheasant, and the peacock. The male 

 of the former is armed with such a formidable spur, that he is a dan- 

 gerous antagonist. There was one which lived some years at liberty in 

 company with some bantams and gold pheasants at the lodge by the gate 

 at the entrance into the garden at Highclere, which was so ferocious that 

 he was the terror of the nursery maids, and indeed of every person wha 

 was not provided with a stick to keep him off. He was so persevering, 

 that having provided myself with a large bough of a tree in my left hand 

 wherewith to push him off, and a long switch to chastise him, I have 

 whipped him till he screamed with rage r but without his showing the 

 least disposition to give up the conflict and retreat. He was disabled first 

 in one leg, and afterwards in a wing, and finally killed by some person 

 unobserved, whom he had probably attacked. I recollect also seeing an 

 old man employed in weeding a compartment in my brother's menagerie 

 at Pixton, who said, " he had an unked time with the pheasant cock ;" 

 and in truth a silver pheasant, that was alone in it r had passed the whole 

 day spurring at him, which was particularly inconvenient to a person 

 whose occupation caused him to use a stooping posture,by which his face 

 was exposed to the enemy. 



I remember also that my mother had a pet flock of sheep, which she 

 occasionally introduced to eat some of the grass in the extensive garden 

 at Highclere, and a little boy on those occasions attended to prevent their 

 nibbling the shrubs or invading the borders, bringing his dinner in a small 

 bag suspended from his shoulder. One day about noon we found him 

 crying and sobbing piteously, and, being questioned as to the cause of his 

 trouble, he only vociferated in broken accents amidst his sobs, " the pea- 

 cock, the peacock," and at last added, on being pressed for some further 

 explanation, " he will have my dinner;" and in truth we had some diffi- 

 culty in delivering him from the invader, who was careering round him 

 in all the pride of his gorgeous plumage, with a determined purpose of 

 sharing in the repast. It appeared on further inquiry r that the bird knew 

 the time of day when the boy usually opened his store, and regularly 

 drew nigh at the opportune moment, and had on the previous day abso- 

 lutely beat him off, and remained undisputed master of the bread and 

 cheese. 



I have now an American blue-bird, which on its arrival was so wild, 

 that it fluttered against the wires if even looked at^but after it had been 

 with me about a year and a half, it became so tame and impudent, that 

 now, on the door of the large cage,, in which it is confined with other 

 small birds, being opened to change the food, it immediately presents 

 itself, and it is necessary to push it back with the hand ; and it has 

 several times forced its way out under my hand, not with any desire of 

 escaping, but through insolent familiarity. W. H. 



