98 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PHEASANT 



they are roosting in the tree as a mere idle story. I 

 myself ought to be a pretty good hand at poaching ; 

 still, I am obliged to confess that I have never been 

 successful in one single instance in the many attempts 

 I have made to bring down the pheasant from his 

 roost by the application of a smoking apparatus. In- 

 deed, when we reflect that the mouth of the bird is 

 always shut during sleep, and that both it and the 

 nostrils are buried in the dorsal feathers, we are at a 

 loss to conceive how the smoke can enter them and 

 cause the bird to fall in stupefaction. If smoking 

 were a successful method, depend upon it the poachers 

 would never be such noodles as to use a gun, the 

 report of which is sure to bring an attentive keeper 

 up to the scene of their night's diversion.' 



I cannot say for myself that I ever emulated the 

 example of Squire Waterton in trying to ' smoke ' 

 pheasants, but it is always interesting to study the 

 habits and customs of our fellow-countrymen. In the 

 pursuit of knowledge I have interviewed a good many 

 scoundrels, as well as many virtuous individuals, and 

 I am bound to admit that the balance of evidence at 

 my disposal points to the ' smoking ' of a pheasant as 

 a feat within the reach of the skill of ' professional 

 gentlemen.' What the poachers have told me amounts 

 ' Loudon's Magazine of Nalui-al History, vi. 310. 



