FOWLS. 297

(from a boat in a lake or wide river), they always make for
the nearest land first; then, circling round, widening their
circle and rising higher at the same time, they keep the
starting-point in view until they sight some familiar object, in
which direction they travel. If a bird is dull, or ‘stupid,’ as
we term it, and has been tried from various points of the
compass, it often happens that, when taken to a distance
(say thirty or forty miles), the time occupied in reaching the
loft is three of four times longer than was expected; but,
take it there next day, and the journey will be done quicker
than a mile a minute. Why is that? Well, the birds get
confused; some object which it may have seen on a former
journey, may possibly stand out boldly; and, flying at once
toward this, the bird may find itself just as far from finding
the ‘lay of the land.” Thus it may go from one familiar
point to another before ‘striking’ for home. That is the
reason why, in training a bird for a match, we take it only
in the direction from which it will have to fly, increase the
distance gradually, until the bird is familiar with the path
it must travel and recognises each landmark as soon as it
comes in sight.”
ORDER Vv. Im this order (Galline) the Grouse, the Ptar-
Fowls. migan, the Quail, the Peacock, the Pheasant, the
Jungle Fowl, the Guinea Fowl, and the Wild Turkey are
included; as well as our Domestic Fowls to the forms of which
they more or less closely approximate. The Black Grouse,
and the Red Grouse are found throughout Great Britain; the
Prairie Grouse in North America. The Ptarmigan is found in
Scotland and in the North of the continent of Europe; it
changes colour with the seasons, becoming snow-white in winter.
The Quail is found in many parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa; it
visits England in the early summer and leaves about October
for Africa, where it winters.
The The Peacock has been famous in the East from
Peacock. before the days of Solomon and the Queen of