In the Neighbourhood of Salisbury. 



163 



males arriving some time before the females, and pairing* only for 

 the season/' (Meyer.) It is also said to be spiteful and quarrelsome 

 in the extreme when in captivity, ruling the roast over birds much 

 stronger or larger than itself, allowing them but little peace, pur- 

 suing and harrassing them incessantly. Let me, in conclusion, 

 advise no inexperienced bird-stuffer to select one of these birds on. 

 which to try his prentice hand, the skin being unusually tender,, 

 and the feathers loosening themselves from the skin with but little 

 handling. 



Columba Migratoria. "The Passenger Pigeon/'' I am afraid I shall 

 be considered a bold speculator if I endeavour to claim this species 

 as having occurred in our more immediate neighbourhood. All I 

 can say is that Mr. King, of Waiminster, a knowing and experienced 

 stuffer, assured me that one of these birds was brought to him for 

 preservation about the year 1862-3. It was in the flesh, and had 

 no sign of captivity whatever about it. He told me he kept it for 

 some time without its being enquired after, and then he had sold it. 

 This must go for what it is worth. But there seems no reason why 

 it should not more frequently occur in this country than it does, 

 especially when we remember the amazing rapidity of its flight, 

 and the countless myriads that throng the American forests, which 

 would seem to be vast beyond conception, and which is so graphically 

 described in Wood's Natural History of Birds, from the descriptions 

 of Wilson and Audubon, pp. 577 — 580. He there records how this 

 species will fly hundreds of miles for its daily food, pigeons having 

 " been killed with rice still undigested in their crops, though the 

 nearest rice plantation was distant several hundred miles."" It is a 

 curious fact that this species never lays more than one egg ; a pro- 

 vidential ordering, by which their marvellous numbers are somewhat 

 held in check. 



Phasianid^:. 



Phasianus Colchicus. " The Pheasant." Of all birds not strictly 

 indigenous to our country the Pheasant is the one which may justly 

 claim to have acclimatised itself the most thoroughly. Uncertain! 

 as the period is when it was first introduced amongst us, it is now 



