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On Birds in Flanders.



the same conditions by a clock-like machine. But the French, to

attain this end, actually sear the chaffinch’s eyes with a hot wire

and pretend that they can then sing more loudly.* At Herzeele, north

of Hazebrouck, I noticed three terribly mutilated in this way, and

living in small dingy and dirty cages. It was marvellous how they

could still exist. Their loud song was to me very pathetic as they

answered one another and could at least enjoy full range of hearing.

One bird I was told had gained prizes for its song. However, to a

room full of friendly enough folk, I felt impelled to hold forth on

the terrible cruelty, in the best French I could command.


Perhaps another digression will be permitted. One observes

in the farms a very large proportion of cocks among the fowls. This

puzzled me at first, till one Sunday I happened to visit an aged

woman of 102 years at Hooggraaf, south of Poperinghe. Here I

noticed in this out-of-the-way hamlet an unusual stir, then I saw

a Flemish soldier adjusting artificial spurs quite two inches long

over the natural ones of a powerful cock by binding them cleverly

on with rubber. It was evident a concours was awaited, and this

I was told would take but three minutes. This I found was true,

though I did not witness it. This practice is defendu in Belgium,

though not in France. The familiar and picturesque garde cham-

petre would not dare to suppress it!


I would like to add a few notes of other birds I have seen.

Greenfinches and yellow-hammers are very common and sing all

day. Willow wrens are heard in all the high trees of the woods,

no bird’s note was more welcome this spring with its gentle cadence.

I have seen many pied wagtails, only one Pay’s. Of the tits the

great tit is much in evidence, but none of the others. Wrens are

very numerous and sometimes seem to predominate as singers. So

vociferous a song from so small a bird always seems extraordinary.

Usually they sing at the end of a house-roof and their profile with

the well-cocked tail is most comical. While shells were falling

with regularity, yet I could not help noticing a wren in this typical

pose on an estaminet at Potijze. We had established here an

advanced dressing-station, one mile east of Ypres, and had shortly

after to evacute it as the Germans had the range. Nettle-creepers



[*The Italians do the same, but it is forbidden by law.—ED.]



