NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



One of the birds for catching fish. 



of a dusky ash-colour ; in other respects it agrees 

 with the male. They feed on fish, but are very 

 rarely seen in England, except in very hard sea- 

 sons, and then not more than three or four of 

 them together. 



THE CHINESE DI7ER. 



THE bill of this bird is said to be dusky. 

 The upper parts of the plumage are greenish 

 brown; and the fore-part of the neck the same, 

 but paler. The chin, and under parts, are yel- 

 lowish white, marked with dusky spots. The 

 legs are ash-coloured. Its size has never been 

 ascertained. 



This is supposed to be one of the birds used 

 by the Chinese for catching fish. In that em 

 ployment it has a ring fastened round the middle 

 of the neck, to prevent its swallowing; it has 

 also a long slender string fastened to it; thus ac- 

 coutred, it is taken by its master into the fishing- 

 boat, from the edge of which it is taught to 

 plunge after the fish as they pass by; and as the 

 ring prevents these from passing down into the 

 throat, they are taken from the mouth of the 

 bird as fast as it catches them. In this manner 

 it frequently happens that a great many are pro- 

 cured in the course of a few hours. When the 

 keeper has taken a sufficient quantity of fish for 

 himself, the ring is taken off, and the 



