AND LOWER EGYPT. 319 



qucntly exclusive. Great quantities of these birds 

 were brought to the markets of Rossetta, and 

 were sold to very good account. As the Maho- 

 metans ate no animal which had not been bled, 

 the throats of the wild ducks were cut, in which 

 state they were left living, after having their wings 

 broken, which were fastened over the back, so 

 that it was very difficult to get one of these birds 

 which was not mangled, or whose plumage had 

 not been damaged. 



The thrush arrives in the same countries at the 

 same season, to remain till the month of March. 

 But whilst the wild ducks flock to enliven the 

 collections of distant waters, the thrush remains 

 near human habitations. It takes delight in the 

 same orchards as the turtle-dove, and seeks, like 

 it, the thick and balmy groves of the orange and 

 lemon tree. 



A peasant called me near a covert, and told me 

 that he had just seen a woodcock enter. I found 

 him there accordingly. These birds do not, for 

 the most part, take their passage into Egypt till 

 the month of November, but they are few in 

 number. It is a singular thing to see the wood- 

 cock, which seems to be a bird peculiar to cold 

 climates, seek a gentle winter even in countries 

 $0 far to the southward. 





