In the month of May the female swan generally prepares to make her nest, which she does secretly, as, if the cobb or male bird perceives her, he will prevent her if possible. The cygnets, or young swans, are generally hatched about July, and when they first appear their feathers are of a dingy brown instead of being white. When they first go into the water the female, or pen bird, as she is called, only lets them swim a little way, and then, if they appear tired, she takes them on her back. When the cygnets grow bigger, the mother swims round the pond with them following after her like a company of soldiers. As soon as they get about three parts grown, the cobb drives them away from their mother, and forces them to provide for themselves. At this period, if they happen to have been hatched late, they may be fed with boiled barley and bread. They do not become perfectly white till the second year.
When two full-grown cobb swans quarrel they fight tremendously; and, though the common species is called the mute swan, they make a loud hissing noise something like that of the goose, but louder and hoarser. A cobb swan will also, whenenraged, attack a dog, or even a man, striking tremendous blows with its wings. It is said that a full-grown swan could break a man's arm with a blow of its wing. Swans were formerly considered royal birds; and those upon the river Thames are still the property of the crown, and the young ones are marked every year under the superintendence of the Lord Mayor, the ceremony being called swan-hopping, which is said to be derived from swan-upping, a part of the ceremony being to decide how far up the river the swans have a right to go.
In hard frosts the swans, and all the other ornamental aquatic fowls, must be sheltered, and fed in the same way as the common ducks and geese in the poultry-yard; and there is generally some place contrived near the water for this purpose; as, for example, under the fishing-house, or adjoining the boat-house. It is also necessary to take some means of preventing aquatic fowls from flying away, and the barbarous operation of cutting off one joint of the wing with a penknife, or a very fine saw made from the spring of a watch, is frequently resorted to; it being the second joint of the wing that is taken off. For my own part, I should prefer losing my birds to resorting to such measures for their preservation; and I think I have understood, that, by depriving them of the alternate feathers of their wings, they maybe rendered incapable of flying while they are strangers to the place, and I would trust to kind treatment to make them wish to stay with me when we became better acquainted.
Theblack swanis a native of Australia, and it is so common in that country, that it gives its name to the Swan River. In a wild state, it is generally seen floating on lakes or rivers, in long lines formed by eight or ten or more swans swimming in a single file; and when alarmed they rise all together and fly off, uttering wild but not unmusical screams, retaining in the air the same position as that they occupied in the water. You must, however, take care, if you put a black swan on the some water with the white ones, that they do not injure it. Some years ago, two white swans on the water in the Regent's Park pursued a black one with the greatest ferocity; and, according to Mr. Yarrell, from whom I have taken this account, one of them having succeeded in grasping the black swan's neck between the mandibles of its beak, shook it violently. The black swan with difficulty extricated itself from this murderous grasp, hurried on shore, tottered from the water's edge a few paces, and then fell to die. The white swans did not attempt to pursue it, but continued sailing up and down the water with every feather on end, and seeming proud of their conquest.
Ofgeesethere are many ornamental kinds.
TheChinese gooseis a beautiful creature, which breeds readily in this country.
Thebean gooseis frequently kept on ornamental pieces of water; and a pair belonging to the Ornithological Society of London have produced young in St. James's Park, and are remarkably tame. This goose has received its name from its fondness for beans and other pulse; and it is one of the three species of wild geese which pay passing visits to the ponds and lakes in the North of England and Scotland. It is found in great abundance in the Hebrides and other western islands of Scotland; and large flocks fly together, either in a diagonal line or in two such lines forming an acute angle, making a loud cackling noise as they fly, and going, as has been supposed, at the rate of more than twenty miles an hour.
TheCanada geeseare very remarkable in their appearance, from their glossy black necks and white cheeks, and their very remarkable trumpet-like notes. These birds appear in such quantities in Canada, that it is calculated that two or three thousand are killed every year by the English at Hudson's Bay. This bird is sometimes called the cravat goose; its beautiful black and glossy neck and white breast bearing considerable resemblance to a black silk cravat upon a white shirt.
Thebernicle, or brent goose, is interesting fromthe curious superstition which formerly prevailed respecting it, as it was supposed to have sprung from the shell called the barnacle or lepas, which adheres to the bottoms of ships, and which has a fringe of cirri projecting from between its valves bearing some faint resemblance to the feathers of a bird. These geese are very small, and not above half the size of the Canada geese; and yet Mr. Waterton found a large old Canada goose on his noble sheet of water at Walton Hall pair with a bernicle gander.
TheEgyptian gooseis interesting from the strong resemblance it bears to the figures of a goose found in Egyptian hieroglyphics, in which it was the emblem of caution.
Amongst the other ornamental kinds of geese found on ponds in pleasure-grounds, I may mention thesnow, orred, goosefrom North America, which is of large size, and has its bill armed with twenty-three strong indentations like teeth; and thelaughing goose, which has a white front, and makes a strange laughing-like noise. There is also an African goose called thegambo, which is furnished with a curious spur on the upper part of the wing.
Of the ornamentalducksthe best known species is that with red wattles on its head and neck, which is generally called theMuscovy duck, but which is not, as its name imports, a native of Muscovy; for the name is a corruptionof moschata or musk duck, in allusion to the peculiar smell of the creature. These ducks are found wild in Guiana, where they nestle on the trunks of trees close to the water's edge. They are easily managed in this country, but require protection in cold weather. They breed freely, and are not difficult to rear, except about the time when the red wattles appear round the head, when many of them die. In other respects they considerably resemble the common duck.
Theshieldrake, or burrow duck, is remarkable for its constancy, as a male and female when they once pair continue to breed together every year as long as they live. This duck is also one of the most beautiful of the ornamental water-fowl. In its native state it is generally found on the sea-coast, or within a few miles of the sea, where it breeds in rabbit burrows and other holes in sandy soils. It will, however, live in an inland situation, provided it is fed with periwinkles and other shell-fish, and hence it was originally called the shelldrake. In some parts of Scotland it is called the skeeling goose.
There is another species of shieldrake which is sometimes called theruddy goose, and which has a glossy black ring round its neck and a reddish breast. This bird has the same burrowing habits as the common species, but it prefers the neighbourhood of a river to that ofthe sea. The voice of this bird when flying is said to resemble the tone of a clarinet; but in a state of confinement it bears more resemblance to the cry of a peacock.
Theshoveller, or broad-bill, is a fowl occasionally kept on ponds in pleasure-grounds. In a wild state it inhabits marshes and the muddy shores of lakes and rivers, and is generally considered only a winter visitor to this country, though some remain every year to breed. They feed principally on insects, and are so fond of flies, that one of the common names of this species in France iscanard gobe-mouche. The English name of shoveller alludes to the broad beak, each mandible of which is bordered with close set rows of teeth resembling those of a weaver's reed, and which fitting into each other form a kind of sieve. With this beak the shoveller digs up the soft mud, and letting its watery particles escape, retains the very small worms and other insects which constitute the principal food of the bird. These ducks being very ornamental and curious, many attempts have been made to keep them on the ornamental pieces of water in the London parks and gardens, but hitherto without success; for I am told, on the authority of our excellent friend Captain Mangles, that, though they may appear healthy for a time, they are very apt to die off suddenly without any apparent cause.
Thegadwall, or grey duck, is an ornamental bird; but it is of little use to have it in pleasure-grounds, as it is so shy, and so fond of hiding itself among thick weeds and long grass, that the pair in the Zoological Society's gardens are scarcely ever seen.
Thepintail duck, or sea pheasant, though also shy in its native habitats, is more easily tamed, and is well deserving of being kept on ornamental pieces of water, not only from the beauty of its plumage, but from the singular appearance produced by its long tail when it is swimming on the water. This bird has a singular patch of green on its wings, and yellow feet. It is very difficult to get it to breed.
Thetealis the smallest of the British ducks, and one of the prettiest. Its breast is spotted with black tinged with purple, and it has a rich dark-brown mark on its head, encircling the eye and spreading down the back of the neck. The teal bears confinement well, and it breeds regularly every year in the gardens of the Zoological Society. The eggs are white tinged with buff, and generally about an inch and a half in length. The nest is formed of decayed vegetable matter, lined with down and feathers, and it contains eight or ten eggs. The teal feeds on grass and water plants, and also on various kinds of insects; but,when kept in this country all the year, during the winter it requires grain.
Thewidgeon, Mr. Waterton tells us, "is a much more familiar bird than either the pochard or the teal. While these congregate on the water, beyond the reach of man, the widgeon appears to have divested itself of the timidity observable in all other species of wild-fowl, and approaches very near to our habitations." The widgeon has such a shrill cry, that it is sometimes called the whistling duck.
The American widgeon is the constant attendant on thecanvass-back duck, so celebrated in the United States for its excellence as an article of food. These ducks have been introduced into England, but they do not thrive in this country probably for want of a species of Vallisnèria on which they feed in their native land. The best way of managing them would be, to give them plenty of grain, particularly wheat, of which they are remarkably fond; though, probably, buck-wheat would answer the purpose, and would be much more economical. The Vallisnèria, also, on which they feed, might be introduced into England, though it would require to be grown in running water.
Theeider duckis very scarce on ornamental pieces of water, though it is abundant in the North, particularly on the Fern Islands off the coast ofNorthumberland, and especially on St. Cuthbert's rock; and hence it is sometimes called St Cuthbert's duck. It was long supposed that the eider duck would not live in confinement; but the Earl of Derby has several in his splendid collection at Knowsley, which were reared by feeding them on slugs and other mollusca.
The king duck, the beautiful little western duck, the magnificent surf scoter, and the red-crested duck (a beautiful stuffed specimen of which is in the possession of Mr. Waterton), are all highly ornamental, and well deserve to be kept in pleasure-grounds for their beauty.
Thepochard, or dun bird, is remarkable for the excellence of its flesh, which closely resembles that of the celebrated canvass-back duck of America. Like that duck it feeds greedily on a species of Vallisnèria and on grass-wrack and sea grass (Rúpia marítima); which last, Mr. Yarrell tells us, is "called also in America eel-grass, from the form and length of the stem. The ducks dive and pull up these aquatic plants to obtain the tender roots, the only part they seem to eat. The two plants last named are common near the coast in England."
I think you will now be pretty well tired of aquatic fowls; and therefore I will only mention one more, viz. thecoot, respecting which there is a great diversity of opinions. "If a gentlemanwishes to have plenty of wild-fowl on his pool," says Col. Hawker, in hisInstructions to Young Sportsmen, "let him preserve the coots and keep no tame swans. The reason that all wild-fowls seek the company of the coots is, because these birds are such good sentries to give the alarm by day when the fowl generally sleep." "If you wish to have your water-fowl breed," says Captain Mangles, "have no coots, for if you have they will destroy all the eggs." Where there are coots, and it is wished to destroy them, it is extremely difficult to do so by shooting at them, as the moment they see the gun, they dive into the water, and when they come up again, are frequently a hundred yards from the place where they sank. They also make a great commotion in the water by flapping their wings along its surface, and making a tremendous rushing noise, so that it is not very easy to approach them even with a boat.
Almost every park where there are trees containspheasants; and in many places especial contrivances have been resorted to for feeding and keeping these birds. The places which they like to frequent are woods and plantations where there is plenty of undergrowth, and they are particularly fond of places where fern and brake grow abundantly. When it is wished to stock a park with pheasants, it is usual to set the eggsunder a common hen, and when they are hatched, which will be in from twenty-three to twenty-seven days, the young ones should be put into a basket with a bit of flannel till the whole are hatched and the shells have been removed from the nest. They are then put back to the hen, and fed with eggs boiled hard and then cut small, and curd made by mixing new milk with the water in which a lump of alum has been dissolved. They should also have a few ants' eggs if they can be procured, and, if they cannot, a raw egg should be beaten up and mixed with as much flour as will make it into a paste, and then rubbed through a coarse sieve so as to leave it in little grains. Young pheasants should be fed often, and have but a very little at a time. When they are able to run about, they are first put out with the hen under a coop like chickens; but, when they get older and stronger, the hen is put on one of the lower branches of the tree in the poultry-yard, and tied to it by the leg, so that she can move about on the branch, but not descend to the ground; the young pheasants seeing her on the tree will fly up to her, and thus learn to perch. In a few days the hen is put upon one of the higher branches of the tree, and the young pheasants soon learn to follow her. In a week or ten days after this, they are generally old enough to leave the hen, and they may be turned into the woods; though they will requirefeeding every morning and evening for some weeks. Pheasants are naturally very shy, and even when reared in this manner they become so timid in the course of a few weeks that they will not suffer any one to come near them. Many persons suppose that, as they are natives of Asia Minor, they are tender, and easily affected by the cold; but this is not the case, as they will bear cold better than most others of the feathered race.
Some persons try to fatten pheasants by putting them in a small enclosure covered with a net; but pheasants treated in this manner are never so good as those shot wild in the woods.
Many plans have been devised for feeding pheasants in the woods, but none are better than those of Mr. Waterton at Walton Hall. At that most interesting place, which may be called the paradise of birds, Mr. Waterton has formed clumps of hollies, by planting twenty or more in a circle, and then making an inner circle, containing ten or fifteen trees, and scattering the food for the birds between the two circles, or in the centre of the inner one. In other places a yew tree surrounded by a holly hedge forms a place of shelter for the birds; but the first kind is preferred for a feeding-place. The pheasant requires a great deal of food; and Mr. Waterton, whose knowledge of the subject is proverbial, tells us that "it is fond of acorns, beech mast, the berries ofthe hawthorn, the seeds of the wild rose, and the tubers of the Jerusalem artichoke. Boiled potatoes (which the pheasant prefers much to those in the raw state) are," he adds, "perhaps the most nourishing things that can be offered in the depth of winter." The plantations of hollies afford the pheasant a retreat to feed in admirably suited to its timid nature, and they serve at the same time to keep the smaller birds at a distance.
Pheasants are generally considered worth encouraging in a park, for their ornamental effect when sitting on the trees, or rising with a loud whirr from their covers. It is also agreeable to hear their call in the woods at roosting-time and early in the morning. A wood without any living creatures in it presents only a dreary scene, or at best only gloomy pictures to the imagination; but, as soon as it is instinct with life, its whole aspect seems changed, and cheerful feelings are excited. I like, therefore, to encourage birds and other half wild animals in extensive parks, and I would only banish those whose natural propensities make their presence more likely to give pain than pleasure.
Partridgesrequire very little aid from man, provided only the common kind is desired. All that is necessary is, to prevent the hen from being disturbed while sitting, or while brooding over heryoung. May is the month in which the partridge generally lays her eggs, and, from that time till the end of June, care should be taken not to disturb her. "Partridges pair early in spring, and once united it is rare that any thing but death separates them." The female lays from fourteen to twenty eggs, and makes her nest upon the ground. The young one runs as soon as it is hatched, and frequently while it has still part of the shell upon its head. The hen partridge rears her young as a hen does her chickens, scratching the ground to get insects for them, and sheltering them under her wings while they are at rest. Partridges succeed best in temperate climates; for extremes of heat and cold are alike unfavourable to them. Partridges make a peculiar noise called jucking when they settle down for the night; when this noise is heard, it is a certain indication that there is a covey or brood of young birds close at hand.
Thered-legged, orGuernsey, partridgeis very abundant in France, and in many parts of the Continent; but it is rare in England, except in Suffolk, where it is not liked for the table. Its habits differ materially from those of the common partridge. It will only thrive in mountainous situations covered with wood; and, instead of roosting on the ground, it passes the night on trees. It is also generally found perched on treesin the daytime; and it lives in large flocks, and not in coveys consisting only of a single family. If you wish to try the experiment of rearing some of these birds, you have only to get fifteen or twenty of the eggs through some poulterer from France or Guernsey, or from Suffolk, and to set them under a common hen. They will be hatched in about the same time as pheasants, and the young birds require exactly the same treatment.
I do not think I need say any thing of the other kinds of game birds common in England, as you are not very likely to go out shooting; and they are too wild to suffer themselves to be approached.
Haresmay be occasionally seen lying in their forms, or scudding across a field; but they are too fond of pinks and carnations for me to be very partial to them; and, indeed, it is hardly possible to have a good flower-garden where there are a great many hares and rabbits.
Heronsare very interesting birds, but, as they only frequent marshy land, it is not every situation that is suitable for them. They have certainly a striking appearance in a landscape, when they are seen standing for hours together on the banks of a piece of water watching the fish; and, when they fly, the flapping of their long wings, and the cries they utter, have something in them extremely wild and romantic.
The booming of thebittern, too, which is often heard on the borders of marshy land, has a very striking effect, and harmonises well with the cry of the heron.
If you have any gold and silver pheasants, or other curious birds that you do not like to trust wild in the park, you will perhaps find it advantageous to have anaviary; of which there are two kinds. Small aviaries are, in fact, but birdcages on a large scale, divided into compartments to suit the nature of the birds that are to be confined in them; while a large aviary is only a superior kind of poultry-yard covered in with wire network to prevent the birds from escaping. The aviary of the Earl of Derby at Knowsley Park, which is generally considered the best in England, is of this latter description.
Theapiary, or stand of beehives, should be placed in a sheltered situation with a southerly aspect, and care should be taken that there are no bad smells near it; such, for instance, as those proceeding from a pigsty or a dog-kennel. There should, on the contrary, be a garden full of pleasant flowers as near as possible to the bees, as, though they will occasionally go even miles in quest of food, it is much better for them on every account to have it close at hand. Bees are particularly fond of the flowers of buck-wheat, and, though other plants may be more abundant inhoney, none are more useful in affording what is called bee-bread, or the substance on which the bees live while they are laying up their winter store. The working bees, indeed, manufacture three distinct substances from the juices they obtain from the flowers. These substances are, the wax of which they make their combs; the honey which they store in them, for consumption during winter; and the bee-bread on which they feed, and a portion of which they lay up in the cells in which eggs are deposited, in order that the young bee may feed upon it while in its larva state.
When you want to form an apiary, it is necessary at first to decide upon what design you will prefer, and then to adapt your bee-house to it; the bee-house itself being a wooden closet with shelves in it, each large enough to hold two or more hives. The holes for the entrance of the bees must be in front of the apiary; and they are generally made three inches long, and a quarter of an inch high, with a little shelf before each for the bees to alight upon before they enter the hive. Many kinds of hives have been recommended, and Nutt's hive is a very good one, where the bees are kept merely for an amusement, and it is wished to see them at work; but, where honey is an object, I believe the common straw hives are found to answer best. I may observe, however, that where Nutt's hives are used, no ornamental front is required to theapiary, as the hives are quite sufficiently ornamental in themselves.
When a hive of bees is to be bought, the person who selects it generally taps it to see if it is full of bees, and, if he is satisfied in this respect, a thin board is slipped under it, and it is left quiet till night. When it is dark, the board is gently raised by having a person on each side of it, so as to keep it as level as possible. A cloth is then slipped under the board, and drawn up and tied closely over the hive. When thus secured the hive may be easily carried to any distance that may be necessary; and, when it is placed on the board where it is finally to stand, the cloth must be taken away from the lower part of the hive before it is placed; as, when it is once fixed, it should not be moved again if it can possibly be avoided.
In May or June bees generally swarm, that is, the bees having become too numerous for the hive, a portion of them go forth to seek a new abode. A short time before swarming the bees come out of their hive, and hang together so as to form a chain. After hanging in this manner for some time, and frequently for several hours, they leave the old hive and settle on a tree in the neighbourhood; and, as soon as this is the case, a table is set under the tree covered with a white cloth, and a man experienced in such mattersascends the tree with an empty hive in his hand, and sweeps the bees into it. He then brings the hive down, and places it on the table which was previously covered with a cloth. A very great bustle immediately takes place among the bees, and the cloth is completely covered with them. Gradually, however, they become settled in the hive, and at night the cloth may be drawn round them, and the hive removed to wherever it may be wished to place it. There must be one queen bee in every swarm, and, if by any accident the queen bee is killed, the remaining bees are in the greatest trouble and confusion, as if seeking for her, and if they do not find her they separate, and disperse themselves among the other hives. If, on the contrary, the queen is only held in confinement, they fly to her as soon as they find out where she is, and forming themselves into a chain, wait till she comes forth to lead them away.
There are many curious facts relating to the domestic economy of bees well worthy of your notice, but this is not exactly the place to relate them. I shall, therefore, only say a few words on the mode of taking the honey, and on the management of the bees during winter. Many plans have been devised for taking the honey without killing the bees; but this appears to be a mistaken kind of humanity, as it is more merciful to kill the bees at once than to condemn them todie of starvation by depriving them of their winter food. The ordinary mode is, to put linen rags dipped in melted sulphur into a hole in the ground, and, after having lighted them, to set a hive full of bees over the hole. Another plan is to set the full hive on an empty one inverted, and then to introduce a sulphureous smoke into the full hive by means of a pair of fumigating bellows. The bees will all fall from the full hive into the empty one, and the combs in the full hive, when cleared of the bees, may be cut out. When the lives of the bees are to be preserved, the full hive is inverted, and the empty hive being put over it, and both of them enclosed in a cloth, the lower hive is tapped several times on the outside with a stick, and gently shaken, so as to drive the bees from it into the upper hive. A board is then slipped between the two, and, the hive containing the honeycombs being removed, the other hive is left with the bees in it. This operation should be performed in August, as, if it is later in the season, the bees will not have time to provide themselves with a fresh stock of honey before winter. If the bees are to be destroyed when the honey is taken, it is generally done in October.
When winter sets in many cover their hives with a thatching of straw; and, if a few warm days occur which tempt the bees out, they are fed with sugar and water boiled into a syrup, andnot with merely sugar dissolved in water, as is frequently the case. Some persons recommend the syrup given to bees to be put on a plate and crossed with straws, to enable the bees to take it without drowning themselves; while others recommend paper pierced with holes, or perforated zinc, for the same purpose. It may be useful to mention that the sting of a bee, being a powerful acid, may be cured by the application of an alkali; and thus chalk, or any similar substance, will very soon allay the pain.
I shall now add a few words on keepingsilk-worms, and then I think I shall have said quite enough on the animals usually kept in the country. Silk-worms succeed best when fed on the leaves of the white mulberry, but those of the black mulberry are unwholesome for them. When the leaves of the white mulberry cannot be procured, lettuce leaves or those of the maclura are the best substitute. Where the mulberry is grown purposely for silk-worms, the trees are cut down to the ground every year to make them send up strong vigorous shoots. The leaves of these shoots are gathered in the morning after the dew has gone off, so that they may be perfectly dry, and, when stripped off, they are deposited in a bag kept open with a hoop round the top, in order that they may be preserved in as fresh a state as possible; and every leaf is taken off onetree before another is begun upon, as it is found that this plan of stripping the trees entirely injures them less than taking a few leaves from each at a time; as, after the tree has been for some time entirely denuded, it forms a fresh set of leaf buds, and produces a second crop of leaves. None of the leaves of this second crop, however, must be taken off. Where labour is sufficiently cheap, the leaves are best cut off with a pair of scissors.
If you should feel inclined to try your skill in feeding silk-worms, you can purchase the eggs in Covent Garden market for ten shillings an ounce, and, if kept in a cool place, they will remain good for nearly a year. When they are to be hatched, they must be exposed to a temperature of 86° Fahr., and they are best kept in a room appropriated for the purpose, and heated by a stove. If you have any small room adjoining your laundry, or any other place where there is a constant fire, you will have no difficulty in managing your silk-worms. Supposing you to have a room of this nature, it will be well to have tables and shelves provided for keeping the insects on; the shelves should not be let into the wall, but should be so contrived, by being suspended on holdfasts or in some other way, as to have the air on every side; and they should be furnished with ledges round them to prevent the insects from falling off.
As soon as the mulberry begins to unfold its leaves, the eggs of the silk-worms should be laid on the shelves, and when they begin to turn white, which will be in about ten days if the room has been kept at a proper temperature, they should be covered over with little trays made of writing-paper turned upside down, and pierced full of holes with a large knitting-needle. On each tray should be laid some young twigs of the mulberry, which the insects will smell as soon as they are hatched, and, crawling through the holes in the paper, will begin to eat. As soon as a twig is covered all over with silk-worms, it should be carefully removed to another shelf, and the insects placed on blotting-paper. Each insect should be allowed about a square inch of paper. It should then be fed with chopped leaves, and it will appear to pass the greater part of its time in sleep till it changes its skin. In its second state it will also appear to pass a great portion of its time in sleep; but it may be fed with young leaves without chopping, till it changes its skin a second time. In its third state the silk-worm becomes more lively and vigorous, and it will devour full-grown leaves without chopping. Up to this period of its life it will be sufficient to feed it three times a day. After changing its skin a third time, the silk-worm becomes of a flesh colour, and eats so greedily that it should be kept supplied with asuccession of leaves all day long. After the next change the silk-worm eats abundantly night and day, and should be kept warm. It now begins to get restless, and instead of eating is continually stretching out its head as though it were in search of something; its body will have become transparent, of a clear pearly hue, with bands of gold colour. Little bits of wood should now be fixed on the shelves in such a way as to give the insects a feeling of security; and they will immediately begin to make their cocoons, which they will complete in from four to seven days.
When the insects have done working, the cocoons are taken from the sticks, and a few being selected to breed from, the rest are prepared for unwinding. The insects enclosed are first killed, either by putting them in bags and enclosing them for half an hour in an oven heated to 88°; or by putting them in sieves, and, after covering them closely with a woollen cloth, placing the sieves over boiling water or boiling spirits of any kind. The insects being killed, the loose or floss silk is removed from the cocoons, and they are put by handfuls into basins of hot water, which has been heated almost to the boiling point; and the cocoons are stirred round in it for a few minutes with a whisk of broom. In a very short time the gum with which the insect had covered the cocoon is dissolved, and the loose threads beginning tofloat on the water, five or six of them are collected, and the reeling of the silk begins. If well fed and kept in a proper temperature, the caterpillars will finish their labours twenty-four days after they are hatched. An ounce of eggs will produce about forty thousand caterpillars, which will consume nearly eleven hundred pounds of leaves, and will produce about eighty pounds of cocoons, or eight pounds of raw silk.
It gives me the greatest pleasure, my dear Annie, to find that you are entering so warmly into country pursuits, and I have read over repeatedly the passage in which you thank me for having taught you to love the country, and in which you say that when you look at your beautiful garden (now so brilliant with bright scarlet verbenas and golden-yellow calceolarias, that you can scarcely gaze at it in the sunshine), and that when you sit in your light cheerful room, or wander near the house, and see in one direction the village church peeping through the trees, and in another a river winding like a silver riband through the valley,you can scarcely believe it is the same place as that which struck you as the very palace of gloominess only a few months ago. "The very rooms themselves seem changed," you add, "and even the situation of the house; for, instead of being buried in a deep valley, and surrounded by a thick forest which rose on every side as if to entomb it, and which appeared to forbid the possibility of walking out, it is now every thing I could desire, and I would not alter it even if I had Aladdin's lamp."
I am not, however, quite so well pleased to find that it is several weeks since you have been beyond the precincts of what you call your own domain; that is, the garden, poultry-yard, &c., immediately adjoining the house. It is well to love home, and to take a deep interest in all relating to it; but it is not well to live entirely in so confined a sphere. The mind indeed becomes contracted by dwelling only on a limited number of objects, and those all in what may be called an artificial state; while, on the contrary, it is expanded, and noble feelings are elicited, by communion with nature. "I have been talking to the vines," said the great Goethe after paying a visit to the country, "and you cannot think what beautiful things they have said to me." Seek nature then, my dear Annie; leave your trim flower-garden, and your tame poultry, and wanderin the woods, admiring the poetry of forest scenery, and watching the habits of the various creatures which people what seems to the careless observer only one vast solitude.
You must not suppose, however, that I want you to set forth like a female knight-errant in quest of adventures; but I do think that attended by your maid, who I was glad to hear is a highly respectable and well-educated young woman, you may wander through the woods of your own park without incurring any very serious dangers.
In the first place, however, I would advise you to provide yourself with a pair of strong and yet comfortable boots. I prefer German boots made to tie round the ankles, so that they can be easily taken off when you come home with them dirty; as it is not very agreeable, when you are tired, to wait till your boots are unlaced before you can enjoy the comfort of clean dry shoes after a fatiguing walk. If you can walk in clogs comfortably they will keep you very dry, as two pairs of even thin soles admit less damp to the feet than one pair of thick ones. I do not, however, think you will find clogs advisable, unless you walk to church, or to make calls, as they fatigue the feet exceedingly by their irregular pressure; and, while Indian rubber clogs make the feet cold by preventing the evaporation of the insensible perspiration,the jointed clogs may very probably break at a considerable distance from the house, and reduce you to the disagreeable necessity of walking home in thin shoes through the mud. When you lived in town I remember you were not capable of bearing much fatigue, and though I have no doubt but the country air has greatly invigorated you, yet I think you will find it advisable to let your maid carry a camp stool with you in your excursions, as nothing can be more injurious to a person of delicate constitution than over-fatigue.
In the course of your walks, you will doubtless find many situations where a rustic seat might be introduced advantageously. I do not mean one of those distorted chairs or garden-seats made of crooked pieces of wood nailed together in the strangest possible shapes and then painted and varnished, but a real rustic seat formed by the stump of an old tree or the trunk of a fallen one, only made sufficiently smooth to prevent it from tearing your clothes; or, at most, only a few plain pieces of wood nailed together by some village workman, and placed under the spreading branches of a tree, so as to be not at all obtrusive.
When you first begin to walk out you will probably find the beauty of the scenery quite sufficient to interest you; but after a time, as your walks must all necessarily partake of the same character, you will want a little variety, and youmust make sources of interest to yourself by observing the various natural objects you meet with, and when you come home endeavouring to make yourself acquainted with some particulars respecting them. To illustrate what I mean by an example, I will just enumerate the objects you may very probably meet with in a morning's walk, and show you how much entertainment you may derive from them.
I will suppose first, that you see a mole-hill with a mole caught and hanging in a trap near it. Struck with the curious form of the mole, its long snout, its hands, and its velvet fur, and your curiosity being excited to know something of its habits, you write the word "mole" in your notebook. A little farther on, you see a rather small bird, with a dead mouse in its beak almost as large as itself, dash the mouse violently against the branch of a tree, and leave it there sticking in the fork of the branch. This appears so strange that you approach the branch to examine it, and find on another branch an insect completely impaled on a twig, which apparently some boy has forced through its body. Shuddering at the cruelty of human nature you walk on; but shortly afterwards perceiving a curious excrescence on the trunk of a tree, which is almost above your reach, you stand to look at it, and see to your astonishment some other insects impaledin the same manner as the first, at a height no boy could reach; and, quite puzzled, you enter a note in your journal. A little farther on, you meet with a black snail that crawls across your path, and leaves a long line of shining slime behind; and you then find some curious little fungi (fig. 18.) which look like fairy birds' nests full of eggs. Your attention is next attracted by a plant with a square stem, and soft hairy leaves, heart-shaped at the base, and tapering to the point; and very pretty spotted pink flowers, something like those of the snapdragon, but much smaller. You afterwards pick up a bit of stone that appears composed of various particles; and, lastly, as you go home you observe the singular appearance of the clouds, which look like long plumes of feathers streaming in the wind. You make notes of all that you have seen, and when you get home amuse yourself by searching in books for an explanation of those subjects which have excited your curiosity.
wood engravingFig. 18.Nidulària campanulàta.
Fig. 18.Nidulària campanulàta.
First, if you will look for the article Mole in Bell'sBritish Quadrupeds, you will find an engraving of the curious little hands, or rather paws, by which the mole makes its passages through the earth, with a plan of its castle under ground; andyou will read a description of the little animal itself, and of its fur which is set horizontally from its skin, so as not to offer any obstruction in the narrow passages through which it moves, sometimes forward and sometimes backward. You will also read an account of the ingenious experiment of M. Henri Le Court, who, to discover how fast a mole could go, fixed straws in the track of the mole's burrow; and then, blowing a horn at the entrance, counted with what rapidity the different straws were thrown down, and calculated that a mole can run as fast as a horse can trot. The whole account is extremely curious; and I am quite sure, when you have read it, you will feel an interest in moles that you have never had before; and that you will look with quite different feelings at every mole-hill that you may see.
The next thing you saw was a bird hanging a field-mouse upon the fork of a branch, and near it you saw several insects impaled upon twigs, too high for it to have been the work of a mischievous boy. The bird you saw was the Greater Shrike, or butcher bird, whose habit it is to hang up the insects or small animals it kills as a butcher does the meat in his stall, and afterwards to return to feed upon them. You will find accounts of this curious bird in Yarrell'sBritish Birds; Montagu'sOrnithological Dictionary; and thePenny Cyclopædia, under the article Shrike.
You will next find entered in your journal the creature called a black snail, but which is in fact a slug, as it has no visible shell. On looking for the word Slug in thePenny Cyclopædiayou will find yourself referred to Limax, and under that head you will find a figure very nearly resembling the creature you are seeking for, though it differs in colour; as it is called Arìon rùfa, or the red slug, while the creature you saw was the black slug, called Arìon àter; and if you have the courage to examine the living animal you will find it very curiously formed. Its back is covered with a black ribbed skin, and on the upper part it bears a shield, which consists of a piece of bone, the only one in the slug's body, covered with skin; the shield being designed to protect the air-hole through which the creature breathes. What we are accustomed to call its horns are, in fact, tentacula or feelers, which the creature has the power of drawing into its body or pushing out at pleasure, and which are gifted with an exquisitely fine sense of touch. The long shining line with which the creature marked its path is the slime which proceeds from its body, and with which it is enabled to glide smoothly over sand or gravel that would otherwise injure it. I have said more on this subject than I should otherwise have done, because I wish to point out to you that even a creature so humble and so despicableas a slug, is as curiously and wonderfully made, and displays the power and wisdom of its Creator, as decidedly, as the noblest and most beautiful animal. The study of natural history is, indeed, I think, more fitted than any other to open our minds to a proper knowledge of the wisdom and goodness of God; and the more we study it the more firmly we shall be convinced that nothing has been made in vain, and that everything has been most admirably suited to the station which it is destined to fill.
The curious fungus you will find, by comparing it with theEncyclopædia of Plants, is Nidulària campanulàta, which the Scotch call "Siller Cups." There is a popular superstition in Scotland respecting these pretty little cups, which says that if you find them alone you will have as much money as they contain little balls. These balls are, however, cases containing the sporules, or seeds, of the fungus.
I now come to the flower which I have supposed to have attracted your attention, and you will find, upon a minute examination, that it has a corolla divided into two distinct parts, the upper one standing up like a hood or helmet, and the lower one hanging down like a pouting under lip. It is this last which gives you a clue to find out what the plant is, as you perceive immediately that it belongs to the Labiàtæ, or lipped plants.You may then turn to any work you may possess on the British wild flowers, when, if the text is arranged according to the natural system, you will find your plant under the head of Labiàtæ, and, if the work has coloured plates, you will recognise it without any further trouble; but, if the work has no plates, you must endeavour to identify it by the description, and finding your plant has a square solid stem, soft, hairy, heart-shaped leaves, which taper gradually to a point, and that the lower lip of the flower, which is much larger than the helmet, is spotted, you discover that the plant agrees in description with the common woundwort (Stàchys sylvática.) If you want to find it in Sowerby'sEnglish Botany, you had better take the second edition of that work, where you will find the plant in question in the Linnæan class and order Didynàmia Gymnospérmia, from two of the stamens being longer than the others, and the seeds being what is called naked, that is, not enclosed in any visible pod or other seed-vessel. This will appear difficult to you at first; but, as I think you have told me that your husband understands botany, it will be an amusement to him to explain to you at his convenience the principles both of the Linnæan and the natural systems, and to leave you to make a practical application of them in your morning walks.
Nothing can be more delightful than to study a science in this manner. It is pleasing to be schooled by the lips of those we love, and the wish to prove yourself deserving of the pains your master takes with you, will make you exert yourself to conquer any little difficulty you may meet with; while, on the other hand, your husband will be proud of the proficiency of his pupil, and a new occupation will be given to you, which will prevent your conversations becoming so monotonous as those of two persons who live together, and who see few strangers, would otherwise inevitably become. One of the great secrets for enabling a woman to render her husband happy, and, of course, to be happy herself, is partaking with him as much as possible in both his amusements and his studies. A woman should have as many subjects of interest as possible in common with her husband; and, in fact, she should have no objects of interest in the cares for which he cannot participate. It is true that in her domestic occupations she must be employed differently from him, as a man cannot interfere in the details of household arrangements; but a good wife will always have her husband's comfort in view, even when she is attending to her store-room or her kitchen; and she will be proud to show him the result of her labours in their due season. Men also have duties to attend to in which a woman cannot participate,such as those of a justice of the peace; and some manly sports, such as shooting and hunting. But these will often supply subjects for conversation, and afford that variety which gives life its greatest charm. It is, indeed, better that married people should have separate occupations during a part of the day; but they should never have separate interests, and they should always study to have as many subjects in common as possible.
But I am forgetting that you have still two objects of natural history to be explained, which excited your attention during your walk. The first is the piece of stone that was picked up, and which, from the numerous particles it contains, was probably a piece of Granite, that is to say, if shining particles were mixed with others of a different nature; and it will be an amusement to you if you have any mineralogical specimens, to endeavour to find out what it is by comparing it with them; or, if you have not, to take it with you the first time you go to a town where there is a museum. The curious appearance you noticed in the clouds you will find, by consulting a book on meteorology, was of the kind called Cirrus, or, popularly, mare's tail, and that it is said to indicate the approach of windy weather.
It would be useless to multiply instances of the mode in which an interest may be created incountry walks; but what I have said will be sufficient to show that, though we may complain of the monotony of a country life, there are a thousand sources of interest in it within our reach, if we will only give ourselves the trouble to observe them.
Now that the autumn is rapidly advancing, you should begin to think of those amusements which more properly belong to the season; especially as you are expecting soon to receive a visit from your sisters, and as you will, of course, be anxious to afford them as many amusements while they stay with you as possible.
Archeryis a favourite amusement with ladies in the country, as few exercises display an elegant form to more advantage. The first thing that is to be done is to choose a suitable piece of ground; and, as most old houses have a piece of groundwhich was used as a bowling-green, I have no doubt yours has one which will be quite suitable for the purpose. The ground having been chosen, the next thing is to set up a target, and the next to provide proper bows and arrows, bracers, and shooting-gloves.
Thetargetis generally made of wisps of straw tied together at intervals, and then wound round and round, like an old-fashioned door-mat, only round instead of oval, till of the proper size. This straw framework is covered with canvass or leather, painted with rings of different colours, first green, then white, then black, then white, and then a very broad ring of dark red, in the centre of which is a gilt spot called the bull's eye. Other targets are made of a hoop or circular frame of wood, with a piece of leather stretched over it, painted in rings and with a bull's eye in the centre, like the common kinds; and others are square, and made of iron for firing against with bullets. In all cases the target stands on three legs, in a slanting direction, and the merit of the shooter is estimated by the nearness with which the arrow, or ball, approaches the centre.
Modernbowsare of two kinds, viz. self bows and backed bows. The self bow is composed of only one kind of wood; but the backed bow is composed of two kinds of wood, both the full length of the bow, carefully joined together.Bows used formerly to be made of the yew, and foreign yew was preferred to British, as being more elastic. Now the yew is seldom used, and bows are made, either wholly or in part, of ornamental woods, such as fustick, lance-wood, or partridge-wood, backed by ash or elm. Bows are of different lengths, but those for ladies are generally about five feet long; while men, on the contrary, generally choose a bow of their own height. The strength of a bow is calculated by the weight that it requires to be suspended to the bowstring, when the bow is strung, to draw the string to the length of an arrow from the bow, and this is called the bow's weight. Fifty pounds is the standard weight of a man's bow, and it requires a very strong man to draw a bow of sixty pounds' weight; but bows for ladies and children are from two to thirty pounds' weight. The bow handle, that is, the part which is nearly in the centre of the bow, is usually covered with velvet, in order to give a firm hold without hurting the hands; and this handle is placed, not exactly in the centre, but below it, so as to shorten the lower branch, as the strain upon that part is generally considered greater than on the other, and on this account, also, the lower part of the bow is generally the thickest and the strongest. The two ends of the bow are tipped with horn, and notches are made in these tippings to receive the bowstring.
The bestbowstringsare made of Italian hemp, dressed with gum or Indian glue to preserve them from the wet; and the distance of the string from the centre of the bow, when strung, should not be more than five inches for a bow five feet long, and in the largest bows not more than six.
Anarrow, in the language of the bow-maker, consists of three parts; the shaft or stele, the head or pile, and the feather. The best wood for the shaft of an arrow is the ash, and the next best the birch or hornbeam. The aspen and the lime are also used; but deal or willow-wood is too light, and the arrows made of these woods have an uncertain wavering flight. The length of the arrow should be regulated by that of the bow, and for bows of five feet in length arrows of two feet are generally used, their length increasing in proportion to that of the bow. When arrows are intended for a long flight, they are generally thickest directly under the feathers, and taper gradually to the pile. The nock of the arrow was formerly made of solid horn; but it is now merely inlaid. It should be as nearly as possible the size of the string, so that it may fit closely, and yet not require force to fix it. The feather is a most important part of the arrow, as without that the arrow will not fly steadily. Every arrow has three feathers, and the colour of one of them, which is sometimes termed the cock-feather, is generally different from that of the other two; andthis feather must always be uppermost, when the arrow is placed on the string. Should, however, the feathers be all of the same colour, that one is considered the cock-feather which is on the horn of the nock. After the feathers are fixed on the arrow they are generally covered with gum water, not made too strong, to give them firmness and to make their flight more steady.
Thebraceris a piece of stout polished leather, which is buckled round the arm which holds the bow, to prevent the string from hurting it when it is let go. Even with that precaution, the string very often bruises the arm, and ladies sometimes have the bracer wadded, or lined with India rubber to make it more elastic, and thus to diminish the force of the rebound.
Theshooting-gloveconsists of three finger-stalls made of very strong, but yet pliable leather. It is worn over an ordinary glove, and is fastened round the wrist by a button or string.
Thebeltandtasselcomplete the equipments. The first buckles round the waist, and has a pouch for holding the arrows fixed to it on the right side, while on the left is the tassel, which is used for wiping the heads of the arrows when they have entered the ground. Ladies very often omit the belt, as they have generally some person in attendance on them to supply them with arrows, and to pick up and wipe those they have the misfortuneto let enter the ground. I say misfortune, for all arrows that do not reach the target are considered of no avail.
The distance at which the archer stands from his mark depends upon circumstances; but the ordinary distance for ladies is a hundred yards. A flat stone is often let into the ground to show where the archer is to stand, and then the target is moved to the distance that may be agreed upon. The bow is held in the left hand, and the string is pulled by the right. Arrows were formerly reckoned by the sheaf, which consisted of twenty-four arrows, which were carried in a quiver or arrow-case on the back; but arrows for immediate use were always worn in the girdle. When a portion of the English soldiers were archers, every full-grown man was forbidden by statute to shoot at a butt which was nearer to him than two hundred and twenty yards; and the archers drew their bowstrings to the ear instead of to the breast, as is the custom at the present time. Newington Butts, and several other places round London, bear witness by their names to their having been formerly places for the citizens to exercise their skill in archery; but even as late as the reign of Elizabeth no person was allowed to shoot with a yew bow, under the age of seventeen, unless he was the son of a gentleman.
Sketchingin the open air is a very delightfulcountry amusement, particularly when it can be so managed as to be done with very little apparatus. To go out with a table and chair and every thing prepared is, however, enough to damp the courage of an amateur artist; and nearly all the pleasure of sketching from nature depends upon being able to gratify the inspiration of the moment, at the very moment when the desire to make a sketch is felt. There are happy moments in which the talents appear to have more brilliancy than at other times, and, as these do not depend upon the will of the poet or the artist, they must be taken advantage of when they arise, or they are lost.
As I know you have an admirable talent for sketching from nature, and as I have no doubt there are some noble specimens of trees in a park so old as yours is, I would advise you by all means to provide yourself with what is called a block-book, that is, a drawing-book in which the sheets of paper are fixed together by a little gum, or some other glutinous substance, being washed over the edges, so that they are as perfectly firm and solid as though the whole book were a block of wood with a piece of paper pasted on it. It is obvious that a book of this kind may be held in one hand, and a drawing made upon it with the other, without requiring any table; and, when the drawing is finished, it may be detached byputting the thumb-nail in the little hollow left on one side for that purpose, and separating that one sheet of paper from the rest. After which, the drawing may be put into a flap or pocket provided for that purpose in the cover of the book; while the next sheet is left ready for another drawing to be made upon it. A book of this kind is not larger than a thin octavo, and it may be easily carried by your maid in her reticule without any parade, as, if it should not be wanted, it will be of very little incumbrance; whereas, if you have a table and the apparatus for drawing carried out, and should not happen to be visited by the pictorial muse, you will find it very disagreeable to be joked on so formidable a preparation having produced no result. Even under the most favourable circumstances, it is much more agreeable to draw from nature in a block-book than in any other way, as ordinary sheets of paper are always being curled up and moved about by the wind. You will also find it advantageous to supply yourself with one of those pencils with a broad lead which are sold for sketching foliage, and you will find it save both time and trouble to take a case of pencils out with you, with pencils of different degrees of fineness cut for use.
Should you wish to give the effect of colour to your landscapes, you will do well to provideyourself with an artist's colour-box made of tin, with a place for the colours to be rubbed on inside of the lid; and provided with a small bottle for containing water. When you sketch, be particular in marking strongly the effects of light and shade, and the distances; also pay particular attention to giving the proper touch to the different trees. The foliage of the pine and fir tribe is characterised by a few small upright strokes introduced occasionally; the oak requires angular touches, and has a certain degree of squareness in the outline of its twigs; the elm has a roundness in the touch; the touch of the willow is thin and wiry; and that of alder somewhat heart-shaped. It is difficult to explain what I mean without the aid of drawings; but your best way will be to get some good sketches of trees, and then to take them out with you, and compare them with the effects you observe in nature.
Aswingis a very useful adjunct to the amusements of the country, as many grown-up people are as fond of swinging as children. The most simple kind of swing is formed by tying the two ends of a strong rope to the branches of two trees which may chance to be conveniently placed for the purpose, the rope having been previously passed through two holes in a piece of flat board, which serves for the seat. A swing of this kind requires no attention but turning the seat thewrong way upwards in wet weather, and taking the rope down in autumn, as it will become rotten from exposure to the wet during winter. The seat should also have two strips of wood nailed on its under side, across the grain of the wood, in order to prevent it from splitting open, which it would otherwise be very likely to do, from being exposed to the alternations of wet and dry weather. Where there are no trees conveniently situated for a swing, two upright pieces of wood may be driven into the ground, with hooks or rings affixed to the upper part, to which other hooks are attached that have been previously fastened to the ends of a strong piece of rope. A swing of this kind is generally furnished with a chair or boat, and it is more fitted for a court or some piece of enclosed ground than for the open pleasure-ground. At the Duke of Devonshire's, at Chiswick, a hammock is hung between two trees for the purpose of a swing.
If you have aboaton your water, take care, when it is chained up in the boat-house, that it floats in water, and does not lie in mud. Pleasure-boats should be painted every year, and always be kept perfectly clean and dry in the inside. They should never be exposed for any length of time to the heat of the sun, and if the smallest opening is perceived it should be mended immediately. Great care should be taken, in a small pleasure-boat, tostand up as seldom as possible; and never to be tempted by the wish of seeing any particular object, to rush suddenly from one side of the boat to the other.
Skatingis a winter amusement, but it is a very healthy one, and one in which a lady can, without any impropriety, indulge. The principal thing to be attended to, after having provided yourself with a pair of good skates, is to learn to balance yourself properly first on one foot, and then on the other. When you first begin to move, you will find it very difficult to avoid falling the moment you attempt to move one foot without the other; and it will probably be all you can do to keep yourself erect, even if you slide awkwardly along with both heels close together. When you do venture to separate your feet, you must contrive to balance your body so as to keep your ankles directly over your skates, and not to suffer the skates to bend under them in a slanting direction. When you see experienced skaters with the steel part of their skates cutting the ice in a slanting direction, you will observe that their skates only follow the same inclination as their bodies, and that the steel of the skate is still exactly under the ankle of the foot. When you begin to skate properly, the leg that is upon the ice should be kept quite straight and the weight of the body thrown upon it, while the other leg should bekept straight also, but in a slanting direction, and with the toe pointing downwards. It is well not to look at either the ice or the feet, but to keep the face erect and looking forwards. When persons first begin to skate they balance themselves with their arms almost involuntarily, and, when one foot is off the ice, they raise up the arm on the opposite side to prevent themselves from falling. This is excusable in a beginner; but, as it has an inelegant appearance, the habit of doing so should be shaken off as soon as possible. The best way is to fold the arms across the breast, or to carry the hands in a muff. The greatest care ought to be paid to carrying the body gracefully and elegantly, and avoiding all sudden jerks. Skilful skaters make the figure of eight or the cross-roll, as it is called, with the greatest facility; but figure-skating is rather the accomplishment of a gentleman than a lady, who should be contented to glide gracefully and easily along.
I believe I have now mentioned most of the ordinary kinds of country amusements in which a lady can properly indulge; as I must confess I should not like to see you hunting or coursing, though I have heard of some ladies doing so. It is quite natural that a lady should like to see the hounds throw off, as nothing can be more animating than such a scene; but that is, I think, all that can be allowed. As, however, yourhusband is most probably fond of sporting, it may be as well to mention a few of the terms used by sportsmen when speaking of the chase, that you may understand what is meant, if your husband should give you any account of the day's sport, without troubling him by asking continual explanations. When sportsmen are speaking of dogs, they say a brace of greyhounds if they mean two, or a leash if they mean three; but they say a couple of hounds, or a couple and a half if they mean three. In speaking of a fox-chase, they say they have unkenneled a fox when they have merely found a wild one. A sharp burst is when the hounds go off very fast at first; but a check is when they lose the scent. If the fox is by any accident turned back, he is said to be headed. The place where the fox is likely to be found is called the cover, and when the hounds are taken into it to try if they can find the fox, they are said to be drawing the cover. The scent left by the fox is called the drag. When the hounds find the scent they generally utter a cry, which is called giving tongue; and when the whole pack go off after the fox, uttering this sound, they are said to be in full cry. The foot of the fox is called the pad, and his tail the brush. Some sportsmen, instead of saying a pack of fox-hounds, say a kennel, and only say a pack of harriers, or a pack of beagles; the latter being a very smallkind of harrier. In hare-hunting, sportsmen say they have started the hare from her form, when they have found one. When a hare returns to the place from which she started, it is said she doubles. The tail of the hare is called the scut, and that of the dog is sometimes called the stern; but this last term, I believe, only relates to dogs used in hunting.
You will observe, my dear Annie, that though I have mentioned a few sporting terms, with the meanings that are, I believe, generally assigned to them, I would advise you never to make use of them in conversation; as nothing can be more unfeminine than for a woman to use terms only adapted to manly amusements. I am sure your husband would dislike to hear you ape the sportsman; as men, with very few exceptions, always feel disgust at a masculine woman.