When They Have
Young, They Feign Lameness, Like The Plover.
I have several times been
thus tricked by them.
One soon, however, becomes an old bird oneself,
and is not to be caught with such chaff any more. We look about for the
young ones, clip off the top joint of one wing, and leave them; thus, in
a few months' time, we can get prime young ducks for the running after
them. The old birds are very bad eating. I rather believe they are
aware of this, for they are very bold, and come very close to us. There
are two that constantly come within ten yards of my hut, and I hope mean
to build in the neighbourhood, for the eggs are excellent. Being geese,
and not ducks, they eat grass. The young birds are called flappers till
they can fly, and can be run down easily.
The hawk is simply a large hawk, and to the unscientific nothing more.
There is a small sparrow-hawk, too, which is very bold, and which will
attack a man if he goes near its nest.
The tern is a beautiful little bird about twice as big as a swallow, and
somewhat resembling it in its flight, but much more graceful. It has a
black satin head, and lavender satin and white over the rest of its
body. It has an orange bill and feet; and is not seen 4 in the back
country during the winter.
The red-bill is, I believe, identical with the oyster-catcher of the
Cornish coast.
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