登陆注册
4698900000114

第114章

8Birds of a heavy build, such as quails, partridges, and the like, build no nests; indeed, where they are incapable of flight, it would be of no use if they could do so. After scraping a hole on a level piece of ground-and it is only in such a place that they lay their eggs-they cover it over with thorns and sticks for security against hawks and eagles, and there lay their eggs and hatch them;after the hatching is over, they at once lead the young out from the nest, as they are not able to fly afield for food for them. Quails and partridges, like barn-door hens, when they go to rest, gather their brood under their wings. Not to be discovered, as might be the case if they stayed long in one spot, they do not hatch the eggs where they laid them. When a man comes by chance upon a young brood, and tries to catch them, the hen-bird rolls in front of the hunter, pretending to be lame: the man every moment thinks he is on the point of catching her, and so she draws him on and on, until every one of her brood has had time to escape; hereupon she returns to the nest and calls the young back. The partridge lays not less than ten eggs, and often lays as many as sixteen. As has been observed, the bird has mischievous and deceitful habits. In the spring-time, a noisy scrimmage takes place, out of which the male-birds emerge each with a hen. Owing to the lecherous nature of the bird, and from a dislike to the hen sitting, the males, if they find any eggs, roll them over and over until they break them in pieces; to provide against this the female goes to a distance and lays the eggs, and often, under the stress of parturition, lays them in any chance spot that offers;if the male be near at hand, then to keep the eggs intact she refrains from visiting them. If she be seen by a man, then, just as with her fledged brood, she entices him off by showing herself close at his feet until she has drawn him to a distance. When the females have run away and taken to sitting, the males in a pack take to screaming and fighting; when thus engaged, they have the nickname of 'widowers'.

The bird who is beaten follows his victor, and submits to be covered by him only; and the beaten bird is covered by a second one or by any other, only clandestinely without the victor's knowledge; this is so, not at all times, but at a particular season of the year, and with quails as well as with partridges. A similar proceeding takes place occasionally with barn-door cocks: for in temples, where cocks are set apart as dedicate without hens, they all as a matter of course tread any new-comer. Tame partridges tread wild birds, pecket their heads, and treat them with every possible outrage. The leader of the wild birds, with a counter-note of challenge, pushes forward to attack the decoy-bird, and after he has been netted, another advances with a similar note. This is what is done if the decoy be a male; but if it be a female that is the decoy and gives the note, and the leader of the wild birds give a counter one, the rest of the males set upon him and chase him away from the female for making advances to her instead of to them; in consequence of this the male often advances without uttering any cry, so that no other may hear him and come and give him battle; and experienced fowlers assert that sometimes the male bird, when he approaches the female, makes her keep silence, to avoid having to give battle to other males who might have heard him.

The partridge has not only the note here referred to, but also a thin shrill cry and other notes. Oftentimes the hen-bird rises from off her brood when she sees the male showing attentions to the female decoy; she will give the counter note and remain still, so as to be trodden by him and divert him from the decoy. The quail and the partridge are so intent upon sexual union that they often come right in the way of the decoy-birds, and not seldom alight upon their heads. So much for the sexual proclivities of the partridge, for the way in which it is hunted, and the general nasty habits of the bird.

As has been said, quails and partridges build their nests upon the ground, and so also do some of the birds that are capable of sustained flight. Further, for instance, of such birds, the lark and the woodcock, as well as the quail, do not perch on a branch, but squat upon the ground.

9The woodpecker does not squat on the ground, but pecks at the bark of trees to drive out from under it maggots and gnats; when they emerge, it licks them up with its tongue, which is large and flat.

It can run up and down a tree in any way, even with the head downwards, like the gecko-lizard. For secure hold upon a tree, its claws are better adapted than those of the daw; it makes its way by sticking these claws into the bark. One species of woodpecker is smaller than a blackbird, and has small reddish speckles; a second species is larger than the blackbird, and a third is not much smaller than a barn-door hen. It builds a nest on trees, as has been said, on olive trees amongst others. It feeds on the maggots and ants that are under the bark: it is so eager in the search for maggots that it is said sometimes to hollow a tree out to its downfall. Awoodpecker once, in course of domestication, was seen to insert an almond into a hole in a piece of timber, so that it might remain steady under its pecking; at the third peck it split the shell of the fruit, and then ate the kernel.

10

Many indications of high intelligence are given by cranes. They will fly to a great distance and up in the air, to command an extensive view; if they see clouds and signs of bad weather they fly down again and remain still. They, furthermore, have a leader in their flight, and patrols that scream on the confines of the flock so as to be heard by all. When they settle down, the main body go to sleep with their heads under their wing, standing first on one leg and then on the other, while their leader, with his head uncovered, keeps a sharp look out, and when he sees anything of importance signals it with a cry.

同类推荐
  • 目经大成

    目经大成

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 巧联珠

    巧联珠

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 吴梅村集

    吴梅村集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说阿惟越致遮经

    佛说阿惟越致遮经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 科南本涅槃经

    科南本涅槃经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 神医凰后(《且听凤鸣》原著)

    神医凰后(《且听凤鸣》原著)

    她,21世纪被家族遗弃的天才少女;他,傲娇腹黑帝国太子,一怒天下变的至高王者;她扮猪吃虎坑他、虐他、刺激他、每次坑完就跑。是个男人就忍不了!他只能猎捕她,宠溺她,诱惑她为他倾心,谁知先动心的人却变成了他。——君临天下的少年,凤舞江山的少女,一场棋逢对手,势均力敌的爱情追逐游戏。
  • 游戏巅峰

    游戏巅峰

    一次又一次的陶醉,一趟又一趟的刷怪行动,这其中你感知不到他们的玩物丧志,看到的是他们的勤劳。
  • 墨魂魔君

    墨魂魔君

    得道升仙,人生所愿。为情?为爱?为恨?为缘?不知为何人拔出手中的剑,但人生总在不情愿中有所超越。机缘到了,自然得道重生!
  • 绝世神医:夫君不要逃

    绝世神医:夫君不要逃

    当二十一世纪傲娇神医一朝穿越,再度睁眼,就连神hold都hold不住!一个势力爹和三个妖艳贱货要和她玩宅斗?站一边去等姐回来再收拾你们!说她是毫无灵力天赋的废材?姐让你见识见识什么叫做女主光环!炼极品银丹了不起?姐已经好多年没炼过金丹了!绝世神器了不起?咱家蠢兽每天叼一个回来!说我不如白莲婊?姐的颜值不知道甩她几条街!收最会跑的炉鼎,炼最好吃的金丹;抓最好玩的兽,灭最莲花的婊;追最逆天的帅哥…等等,这个帅哥被她拒绝过?当夜小树林他将她树咚,某妖孽邪魅一笑:“听说你现在在追我?”【群号:479587007】
  • 美漫之驱魔神探

    美漫之驱魔神探

    起源地球,声名狼藉的渣康,穿越到了漫威宇宙。听说这里富人靠科技,吊丝靠变异,可我偏偏不走寻常路,我靠的是魔法。嘿~!那边荡秋千的蜘蛛侠,想不想组个队?我发誓不会再坑你了。钢铁侠,好哥儿,我就喜欢土豪!哎别走啊,我发誓不会再让你背黑锅了!奇异博士你滚开,不知道同行是冤家吗?..这是地狱神探重生在漫威世界的超级英雄中的故事(英雄的能力与时间线,以本书为准)PS:读者群616907381
  • 丝绸之路的故事

    丝绸之路的故事

    作为龙的传人,你想知道中国为什么被称为世界文明古国吗?拿起这本书,走进时空隧道,读读丝绸之路上那些壮丽的故事,你就有答案了……
  • 锦绣书

    锦绣书

    作为国公府的嫡长姑娘,拥有绝世无双的容貌。可沈长乐回顾自己的生平,却只有一句话:一个嫁了三次的清白姑娘。再活一世,她自然是不愿再重蹈覆辙,所以这一次她要修正好人生方向,找个靠谱的相公,生一群包子,过悠闲美满的人生,谁敢挡她,她就遇神杀神,遇佛灭佛。
  • 每个人都有天使守护

    每个人都有天使守护

    作者首次将出生日期与色彩相结合,简单直接的进行分析。用我们生活中最常见的十种颜色,解读了色彩中蕴藏的的能量信息。以及如何来运用这些色彩。人们常因外相而误解,却很少有人用心理解他人内在的美好。透过色彩或许你能看到不一样的信息。
  • 霸器

    霸器

    不走寻常之道路,寻求奇迹之里程,掌控魔神之生死,再创混沌之辉煌!我这本书,将独特的手法描述出一个与众不同的玄幻世界。古今结合的人间,极度繁华的地府,尖端科技的虚冥,神秘莫测的天界,浩瀚深邃的银河空间……是否精彩,一看便知。
  • 毒妃倾城之皇叔套路深

    毒妃倾城之皇叔套路深

    她现代古武世家三十五代传人,喜欢研制毒药,却悲催的把自己炸穿越了,而且还是一个同名同姓未嫁先休的废物身上,再次睁开眼,她不再是任人欺负的废物,当废材变天才,她光芒万丈,谁与争锋。初见,她踢了他几脚,还顺走了他身上的银票,本以为不会再次相见,没想到猿粪这东西躲不过,她一把鼻涕一把泪的抱着他哭诉道:“终于等到你,还好没放弃”……