200 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



for wild creatures find a greater if arity, which would give away the show, 



sadder interest in the remnants of In my hearing, the other day, a 



vanishing species, or even the memory sportsman was telling how very much 



of those which have gone, than simpler woodcock shooting had become 



stocked moors. since the olden days, when it was a 



Alexander is said to have sighed for matter of groping, and chance, and 



another world to conquer. So it is with possible empty bags. He might have 



many who are not Alexanders. For a been talking of one of those modern 



while sport confined itself to certain advances by which the forces of nature 



orthodox forms. Since the matter are brought under the control of man. 



had gone too far for remedy, and there It was the first time it had struck me 



was no help for it, we were almost to regard the wild instincts in that 



content to hand these over, and score light : or to class those persons who 



them out from our list of wild life, are making the experiments in the noble 



Of late there has been a fresh out- army to whom we owe so large a debt, 



break, an extension of the blighted Even if it were a desirable thing to 



domain. To a certain type of mind, say to the bird come, and it cometh, 



of which the sportsman seems to have I should still feel that quite another 



the monopoly, domestication has quite order of persons should take to wood- 



a fascination. Every art is being cock taming. 



used to tame those creatures, which The wild duck, whose flight we 



by reason of their nomadic habits, and associate with the thickening of the 



greater range of freedom of movement, twilight, the salt spray along the 



are classed as "Wild fowl." The sea-coast, the gleam of the estuary, 



many wonderful things these hitherto is among the examples of modern 



irresponsible creatures may be taught conquest. " It is ridiculously easy, 



to do ; the docility with which they sir. You can make them do practi- 



will answer a call, and come to the cally what you like." If you try to 



gun might make the canary trainer at convict of ingenuity misapplied ; 



the country fair quite jealous. The if you hint that these are among 



difficulty may soon be to get them to the creatures whose main interest is 



behave with any reasonable amount of in that they are wild, and therefore 



wildness. should be let alone ; the answer is 



There is a possible excess of famili- conveyed in a stolid stare. 



