BIRDS HUNTED FOR SPORT 



377 



ticular interest, as it happens to be peculiar to Britain. The old 

 method of " walking" has now mostly given place in this country 

 to "driving". The latter practice, curiously enough, is more 

 favourable to the maintenance of sufficient numbers on a grouse- 

 moor than the former. It is suggested that when the birds are 

 driven the old ones are the first to glide up to the guns, so that 

 the undue destruction 

 of immature indivi- 

 duals is obviated. 

 Besides which the 

 old birds are said to 

 be so quarrelsome as 

 seriously to interfere 

 with the domestic 

 plans of their juniors. 



PERCHING BIRDS 

 (PASSERES). Hawk- 

 ing for Rooks (Corvns 

 frugilegus) and Sky- 

 Larks (Alauda ar- 

 vensis) has already 

 been mentioned (see 

 p. 369). 



PLOVERS ( LIMI- 

 COL^E). Woodcock 

 ( Scolopax rusticola ) 

 and Snipe (Gallinago 

 c&lestis] are familiar 

 sporting birds. 



BUSTARDS (ALEC- 

 TORIDES). The Great 

 Bustard (Otis tar da), once a native of Britain, affords good 

 sport in several European countries, including Hungary, Russia, 

 Roumania, Spain, and Portugal. The Little Bustard (O. tetrax) 

 is also the object of sporting attentions. 



DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS, AND FLAMINGOES (ANSERES). The art 

 of wild-fowling is largely applied to the members of this group 

 (also to Woodcock and Snipe) on inland waters, in swampy dis- 

 tricts, and along low shores. Our own Norfolk Broads furnish 

 an example. In sport of the kind punting plays a large part. 



Fig. 1267. Flamingoes (Ph&nicoptemis roseus] 



