358 BIRD CATCHING. 



Here we seated ourselves on a small terrace over- 

 looking the sea, and ordered a frugal meal of eggs and 

 ilsh. Tlie\^ brought in also a "Giardinetto". A dog, a cat 

 and a fowl joined our part\' and took care that not a 

 single scrap from the table should be wasted. 



We were particiilarh' interested in this fowl, for it 

 was the first bird that we had set ca'cs on since wc came 

 to the promontory of Portofino. Professor Penzig, who 

 for some time past has been President of the Genoese 

 Society- for the Protection ol Animals, "has told me what 

 difiiculties the Societ\- has had to contend with there. 

 Abo^'e all the priesthood has no s^'mpathv with tlieir 

 aims, and gives no assistance whatever. This state of 

 things is ^^'orst on the southern slopes of the Alps. 

 There the slaughter of small birds is carried on so ruth- 

 lessl\- that onl\- a small portion of the birds migrating 

 from the Xorth reach Itah'. ;\nd here a legion ol "Caccia- 

 tori" lies in wait for them. Professor Penzig owns a small 

 propcrt^- in the Val Camonica, in the l'ro^'ince of Brescia, 

 to the north of Lago d'Iseo, and e\'ery summer he wit- 

 nesses this annual barbaritw At this season there are at 

 least 200 ''Roccoli" in full activity- in this one valley-. 

 These are small gardens speciall\' designed tor bird catch- 

 ing, and planted with Elder, Rowan and otlter trees 

 and shrubs whose conspicuous berries attract the birds 

 from a distance. I)eco\' birds, depri\'ed of their e'S'esight 

 and im]5risoned cages, are concealed in the foliage. 

 These prisoners sing, little suspecting that their nlclod^' 

 is luring their lellows lo destruction. ^Phe whole place 

 is enclosed b\' nets, t\\o rising side b^' side like a wall 



