220 A FEW WORDS ON FEN-LAND. 



Forty-two dozen were picked up at once ; and subsequently several dozen 

 more, with broken wings, were secured. The owners of the reeds were 

 obhged to erect high platforms to stand on and shoot ; otherwise they would 

 break down acres. The discharge used to plough a lane in them ; to use the 

 words of an eye-witness to me, " the shots used to cut a road through both 

 reeds and birds." 



The same is done in Egypt at the present day. " To protect the growing 

 crops, the fellaheen often construct little stands for boys armed with slings, 

 who acquire a wonderful dexterity in bringing down their feathered game " 

 ('Land of the Pharoahs,' by the Rev. S. Manning, LL.D., p. 87). 



The gyrations and changing figures of a large flock of Starlings as they 

 rise from the ground, and rapidly alter the form of their dense cloud, is to 

 me one of the most beautiful objects in nature. It has been so well described 

 by the Editor of the 4th edition of Yarrell (part xi. pp. 237 & 238) that I 

 cannot repeat the process ; that description should be read. | 



Next to the pleasure of watching their flight is that of hearing the sound 

 of their voices. Hence the term in old writers, " a murmuration of Starlings." 

 It is the noise of a multitude, each member of which chides, soothes, or 

 complains, according to his special wants in the struggle. 



This " murmuration " has been described to me by an old fenman at 

 Whittlesea Mere, as coming from its deep reed shore ; and he assured me 

 that, under the wind, you could hear the sounds of the congregation a 

 quarter of a mile ofl^. 



Even a well-used Sparrow-roost (in old laurels, perhaps) has its charms 

 at sundown. It contains an immense number of birds, each of whom fights 

 for a good place to pass the night in the common shelter ; and the chatter 

 which goes on can be heard for a long distance. Such a one, familiar to me 

 in the days of childhood, comes back now to my mind. 



