Class II, Birds, Div. II, Water

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J. Christie, 1818 - Zoology

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Page 351 - The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark, When neither is attended ; and, I think The nightingale, if she should sing by day, When every goose is cackling, would be thought No better a musician than the wren.
Page 220 - The geese are plucked five times in the year ; the first plucking is at Lady-day for feathers and quills, and the same is renewed four times more, between that and Michaelmas for feathers only. The old geese submit quietly to the operation, but the young ones are very noisy and unruly. I once saw this performed, and observed that...
Page 319 - Barrington, showing that the varied songs which distinguish different species of birds, are the consequence of the parental notes which first meet their ears. The learned author states that to be certain that a nestling will not have even the call of its species, it should be taken from the nest when only a day or two old ; because, though nestlings cannot see till...
Page 218 - Pennant states that this species resides in the fens the whole year, breeds there, and hatches about eight or nine young, which are often taken, easily made tame, and esteemed most excellent meat, superior to the Domestic Goose. The old geese, which are shot, are, he says, plucked, and sold in the market as fine tame ones, and readily bought, the purchaser being deceived by the size, but their 409 DUCKS. 413 flesh is coarse. Towards winter, he adds, they collect in great flocks, but in all seasons...
Page 251 - As soon as the evening sets in, the decoy rises (as they term it) and the wild fowl feed during the night. If the evening is still, the noise of their wings, during their flight, is heard at a very great distance, and is a pleasing, though rather melancholy sound.
Page 219 - During the breeding season, these birds are lodged in the same houses with the inhabitants, and even in their very bedchambers ; in every apartment are three rows of coarse wicker pens, placed one above another. Each bird has its separate lodge divided from the other, which it keeps possession of * Tour in Scotland, p.
Page 355 - I have, indeed, taken down certain passages which may be reduced to our musical intervals ; but though, by these means, one may form an idea of some of the notes used, yet it is impossible to give their comparative durations in point of musical time, upon which the whole effect must depend.
Page 315 - I have known,' says Barrington, ' instances of birds beginning to record when they were not a month old. This first essay does not seem to have the least rudiments of the future song ; but as the bird grows older and stronger, one may begin to perceive what the nestling is aiming at. Whilst the scholar is thus endeavouring to form his song, when he is once sure of a passage...
Page 210 - Their downy breast; the swan with arched neck, Between her white wings, mantling proudly, rows Her state with oary feet...
Page 192 - No bird is of such use to the islanders as this: the Fulmar supplies them with oil for their lamps, down for their beds, a delicacy for their tables, a balm for their wounds, and a medicine for their distempers.

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