CHAP, xxxv.] BIRDS DEVOURERS OF INSECTS. 275 



and flies ought to earn them an immunity from all danger from 

 trap or gun. Gardeners are always too much inclined to wage 

 war against all small birds, forgetting that they invariably feed 

 their young, not with seeds, but with different kinds of grubs 

 and caterpillars, in this way amply repaying any little mischief 

 they may do to the early-sown seeds. For my own part, I never 

 trust a gun in my gardener's hands, but let the blackbirds and 

 thrushes take as many cherries as they like, in return for which 

 they destroy thousands of grey snails, &c., besides giving me 

 many a moment of pleasure by their song. I admit that I do 

 occasionally shoot the crows and jackdaws when they destroy too 

 many of the cherries, particularly as these active marauders come 

 from some distance in large flocks as soon as the fruit becomes 

 red on the trees. I invariably observe that at this season one or 

 two jackdaws arrive first, flying round and round at a great 

 height above the garden. After some chattering between them- 

 selves I hey fly away, returning some hours afterwards with the 

 rest of their family, four or five in number ; and if not checked 

 by a few charges of shot, these first intruders soon invite every 

 jackdaw in the country to the feast, their numbers increasing 

 every day, till I am obliged to take active steps against them. 



About the second week in July the young wild ducks begin to 

 fly. Those hatched high up in the country usually make their 

 way down to the sea-side in that month. They follow the course 

 of some stream or river till they arrive at their destination. 

 Like the fable of the ostrich hiding her head when pursued, the 

 young wild ducks when chased on the river will frequently dip 

 their heads under the water, and keeping it there till they are 

 nearly drowned, fancy themselves secure, although their whole 

 body is exposed. If taken up, and put into some enclosed y;ird 

 or garden, they will soon become tolerably tame, and get very 

 fat if well fed. The whole of my poultry -yard (as far as ducks 

 are concerned) is supplied by a breed of half wild and half tame 

 ducks, originating in some young drakes caught, and turned out 

 with the tame ducks the tame drakes being all sent away, in 

 order to ensure the proper cross in the breed. The birds are 

 very much improved for the table by this cross, and are quite as 

 tame as the common domestic duck, only showing their wild 

 parentage in an inclination to hide their nests, and to build at a 



T 2 



