. Game birds and shooting-sketches : illustrating the habits, modes of capture, stages of plumage and the hybirds & varieties which occur amongst them . arm when 102 GAME BIRDS AND SHOOTING-SKETCHES extended, and it only requires caution and adroitness onthe part of the poacher to be successful in pulling downhis unconscious victims within his hiding-place. A stuffedBlackcock will also tend to attract the others to the mode of capturing Blackgame is now liecoming a ^ I 4 ^^^^^^^ ,^*^° ^BB HENS ASSUMING THE PLUMAGE OF THE MALE. lost art amongst the poaching fraternity, and is, I
. Game birds and shooting-sketches : illustrating the habits, modes of capture, stages of plumage and the hybirds & varieties which occur amongst them . arm when 102 GAME BIRDS AND SHOOTING-SKETCHES extended, and it only requires caution and adroitness onthe part of the poacher to be successful in pulling downhis unconscious victims within his hiding-place. A stuffedBlackcock will also tend to attract the others to the mode of capturing Blackgame is now liecoming a ^ I 4 ^^^^^^^ ,^*^° ^BB HENS ASSUMING THE PLUMAGE OF THE MALE. lost art amongst the poaching fraternity, and is, I fancy,but rarely practised now. It has too many discomforts,and requires too much patience where birds are scarce, asthey are nearly everywhere nowadays. Another somewhat deadly method of capture is byclearing a small space in the centre of a wood, where the BLACKGAME 103 l)irds are known to resort to rest or feed during the ground is cleared of all the sticks and heather, andthickly strewn with corn, etc., in the centre, which issurrounded by a netw^ork of nooses, through which thebirds must endeavour to pass to get at the food. I have. INSTAXCE OF AN ADULT BLACKCOCK ASSUMING THE PLUMAGE OF THE GREYHEN. never seen this done myself, but have been told by keepersthat poachers often practise it with success, particularlywhen Pheasants can l)e caught as well, and it is worththeir while to try for lioth. The adult plumage of the Blackcock begins to showitself in the young bird about 20tli August, and is com- 104 GAME BIRDS AND SHOOTING-SKETCHES plete by the beginning of October, in 25oint of colouring,tliougli it is not until the third season that it reallybecomes quite perfect, and the tail, the Ijirds chief adorn-ment, has attained its complete length and gracefulcurves. The young males of the first year can easilybe recognised during the winter by the brown ribbingson the crown of the head and white markinos on the o throat, as well as by the incomplete shape of the tai
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1894
