96 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 
every twenty yards; and these are far more annoying to a 
British fox-hunter than the ox-fences of Leicestershire, or 
the stone-walls of the midland counties. They keep you 
and your horse in a constant fret, and yet never give you 
a jump; excepting now and then, when you come to some 
bamboo-fence about eight feet high, which will never 
break, and your only chance is to shut your eyes, stick 
in your spurs, and shout the exhilarating war-cry of 
“ Charge!” 
We lost this jackal and found another, which gave us a 
slapping run of about half an hour; my mare had a bad 
cold, and began to blow; when, luckily for me, the in- 
creased heat of the Indian sun made the hounds throw up 
their noses, and enabled me to retreat with credit, though 
Mr. Patten’s kindness had made a syce accompany me with 
a fresh horse, in case my own should knock up. 
At this moment I find that the ship is about to sail — so I 
must conclude without any more remarks on this gallant 
little pack; but, please God, hereafter I will renew my 
Indian reminiscences, if you and your readers are blessed 
with patience. Mr. James Patten is one of the boldest 
riders in India — his battered cap proves the frequency of 
his hair-breadth escapes. Once he jumped a tremendous 
well (an Indian one) which might appal Castor himself: 
his horse’s hinder feet almost slipped in, when both must 
have perished. The best of it is, that he did it in cold blood, 
for the sake of a lark. 
I am sorry to add that Mr. P. has since, with the Cal- 
cutta hounds, broken his leg most desperately, in getting 
over a bank; but I trust that, by this time, he is at it 
again ! — Sporting Mag. 
ANECDOTE OF A PHEASANT. 
Gentlemen, 
Observing, in your Cabinet of Natural History, an anec- 
dote respecting the occasional stupidity of the American 
Grouse, I send you the following extract from my note 
book , which may further illustrate the manners of that 
interesting bird. 
Along the eastern bank of the Hudson river, opposite 
to the city of Albany (N. Y. ), there lies a sandy, unculti- 
vated, and uninhabited tract of country, of considerable 
extent. This is covered with dwarf pines, and thick bushes 
of oak and whortleberry. The sportsman here, not unfre- 
quently, meets with the Grouse, which resort to these bar- 
rens, for the small acorns and berries which there abound. 
Every hunter knows that the Pheasant, or Grouse, 
though often shy and cunning, will, when worried by his 
dog, sometimes exhibit such a degree of stupidity, infatu- 
ation, and torpor, as to be caught by the hand. An 
instance of this singular trait occurred to me some time 
since. 
Just at sun-set, in the early part of October, 18 — , on 
returning home from a ramble in the country, with my 
friend, J. S. on the porch of the Eagle tavern, which is on 
the opposite bank of the river to the Grouse ground which 
I have just described, we were much surprised to see a 
large male pheasant ( Tetrao Umbellus.) This fine bird 
was quite motionless, and seemed altogether unconcerned 
at the noise and crowd of citizens in this frequented and 
thickly settled portion of the town. We entered the Eagle 
by another way, and by gently opening the door to the 
porch, where the Pheasant had lodged himself, we captured 
him under a hat; though, by some mismanagement, he 
afterwards, fortunately made his escape. 
Having heard the discharge of some fowling-pieces dur- 
ing our walk, we supposed that this Pheasant had been 
frightened from his usual haunts on the opposite side of 
the river, and, in his alarm, took refuge here, even under 
the talons of the Eagle. 
Wishing you success in your interesting and meritorious 
attempt to illustrate the Natural History of our country, 
I remain, yours truly, 
JACOB GREEN. 
SPORTING CALCULATION. 
1st. In the course of a long day’s hunting, it is 10 to 1 
in favour of a bold and good rider, well mounted, that he 
meets any accident at all. 
2d. Supposing he falls, it is 8 to 1 that either he or his 
horse is materially hurt. 
3d. It is 6 to 1 the horse is hurt, and not the rider. 
4th. If the rider is hurt, it is 12 to 1' that a bone is not 
broken. 
5th. It is 20 to 1, if a bone is broken, that the wound 
is not mortal. 
Ergo, 10 X 8 X 6 X 12 X 20= 115,200 
: 1 x 1 X 1 X 1 X 1 = 1 
And 115,200= 1 — thus stated, it details: 
That he has no fall, is 10 to 1; 
That himself or horse is not hurt, 80 to 1 ; 
That it is his horse and not himself, 480 to 1 ; 
That no bone is broken, 5,760 to 1 ; 
That the hurt is not mortal, 115,200 to 1. 
Ergo , out of 115,200 persons who go out hunting in the 
morning, only one is supposed to end his course in that way 
from the effect of that day’s diversion. — Jinn, of Sporting. 
