96 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 



every twenty yards; and these are far more annoying to a 

 British fox-hunter than the ox-fences of Leicestershire, or 

 the stone-walls of the midland counties. They keep you 

 and your horse in a constant fret, and yet never give you 

 a jump; excepting now and then, when you come to some 

 bamboo-fence about eight feet high, which will never 

 break, and your only chance is to shut 3'our eyes, stick 

 in your spurs, and shout the exhilarating war-cry of 

 "Charge!" 



We lost this jackal and found another, which gave us a 

 slapping run of about half an hour; my mare had a bad 

 cold, and began to blow; when, luckily for me, the in- 

 creased heat of the Indian sun made the hounds throw up 

 their noses, and enabled me to retreat with credit, though 

 Mr. Patten's kindness had made a syce accompany me with 

 a fresh horse, in case my own should knock up. 



At this moment I find that the ship is about to sail — so I 

 must conclude without any more remarks on this gallant 

 little pack; but, please God, hereafter I will renew my 

 Indian reminiscences, if you and your readers are blessed 

 with patience. Mr. James Patten is one of the boldest 

 riders in India — his battered cap proves the frequency of 

 his hair breadth escapes. Once he jumped a tremendous 

 well (an Indian one) which might appal Castor himself: 

 his horse's hinder feet almost slipped in, when both must 

 have perished. The best of it is, that he did it in cold blood, 

 for the sake of a lark. 



I am sorry to add, that ]\Ir. P. has since, with the Cal- 

 cutta hounds, broken his leg most desperately, in getting 

 over a bank; but I trust that, by this time, he is at it 

 again! — Sporting Mag. 



ati'on, and torpor, as to be caught by the hand. An 

 instance of this singular trait occurred to me some time 

 since. 



Just at sun-set, in the early part of October, IS — , on 

 returning home from a ramble in the country with my 

 friend, J. S. on the porch of the Eagle tavern, which is on 

 the opposite bank of the river to the Grouse ground which 

 I have just described, we were much surprised to see a 

 large male pheasant ( Tetrao Umbellus .) This fine bird 

 was quite motionless, and seemed altogether unconcerned 

 at the noise and crowd of citizens in this frequented and 

 thickly settled portion of the town. We entered the Eagle 

 by another way, and by gently opening the door to the 

 porch, where the Pheasant had lodged himself, we captured 

 him under a hat; though, by some mismanagement, he 

 afterwards, fortunately made his escape. 



Having heard the discharge of some fowling-pieces dur- 

 ing our walk, we supposed that this Pheasant had been 

 frightened from his usual haunts on the opposite side of 

 the river, and, in his alarm, took I'efuge here, even under 

 the talons of the Eagle. 



Wishing you success in your interesting and meritorious 

 attempt to illustrate the Natural History of our countrj'', 

 I remain, yours truly, 



JACOB GREEN. 



ANECDOTE OF A PHEASANT. 



Gentlemen, 



Observing, in your Cabinet of Natural History, an anec- 

 dote respecting the occasional stupidity of the American 

 Grouse, I send you the following extract from my note 

 book, which may further illustrate the manners of that 

 interesting bird. 



Along the eastern bank of the Hudson river, opposite 

 to the city of Albany, (N. Y. ) there lies a sandy, unculti- 

 vated, and uninhabited tract of country, of considerable 

 extent. This is covered with dwarf pines, and thick bushes 

 of oak and whortleberry. The sportsman here, not unfre- 

 quently, meets with the Grouse, which resort to these bar- 

 rens, for the small acorns and berries which there abound. 



Every hunter knows that the Pheasant, or Grouse, 

 though often shy and cunning, will, when worried by his 

 dog, sometimes exhibit such a degree of stupidity, infatu- 



SPORTING CALCULATION. 



1st. In the course of a long day's hunting, it is 10 to 1 

 in favour of a bold and good rider, well mounted, that he 

 meets any accident at all. 



2d. Supposing he falls, it is 8 to 1 that either he or his 

 horse is materially hurt. 



3d. It is 6 to 1 the horse is hurt, and not the rider. 

 4th. If the rider is hurt, it is 12 to 1 that a bone is not 

 broken. 



5th. It is 20 to 1, if a bone is broken, that the wound is 

 not mortal. 



Ergo, 10x8x6x12x20=115,200 

 : 1X1X1X1X1 = 1 

 And 115,200=1 — thus stated, it details: 

 That he has no fall, is 10 to 1 ; 

 That himself or horse is not hurt, 80 to 1; 

 That it is his horse and not himself, 480 to 1 ; 

 That no bone is broken, 5,760 to 1; 

 That the hurt is not mortal, 115,200 to 1. 

 Ergo, out of 115,200 persons who go out hunting in the 

 morning, only one is supposed to end his course in that way 

 from the effect of that day's diversion. — Jinn, of Sporting. 



