26 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Modes of shooting and taking them. 



breed has sometimes been produced with the do- 

 mestic hen. 



In Russia, Norway, and other extreme north- 

 ern countries, the black grous are said to retire 

 under the snow during winter. The shooting of 

 .them in Russia is thus conducted. Huts full of 

 loop-holes, like little forts, are built for this pur- 

 pose, in woods frequented by these birds. Upon 

 the trees within shot of the huts, are placed arti- 

 ficial decoy birds. As the grous assemble, the 

 company fire through the openings; and so long 

 as the sportsmen are concealed, the report of the 

 guns does not frighten the birds away. Several 

 of tltem may therefore be killed from the same 

 tree, when three or four happen to be perched on 

 branches one above another. The sportsman 

 has only to shoot the undermost bird first, and 

 the others upward in succession. The upper- 

 most bird is earnestly employed in looking down 

 after his fallen companions, and keeps chattering 

 "to them till he becomes the next victim. 



The inhabitants of Siberia, during winter, take 



these birds in the following manner. A number 



of poles are laid horizontally on forked sticks, in 



the open birch forests. Small bundles of corn 



are tied on these, by way of allurement ; and at a 



iltle distance some tall baskets of a conical shape 



are placed., having their broad part uppermost. 



Just within the mouth of each basket, is placed a 



small wheel ; through which passes an axis so 



cel'y fixed, as to admit it to play very readily, 



