. Western field. herwise lifewould soon be The blight bird,is one of these, a small bird which liveschiefly on insects and flies, though not averseto an occasional nip at a grape or a fig. The imported Chinese pheasants are alsoa great help in keeping down the pests ofthe insect world, especially the slugs andcrickets, but they also have a strong partialityfor the maize and potato crops of the farmers I am afraid look on the longtails more as enemies than friends, thoughthe sporting ones of the community for-give their depredations amongst the cropson account of the spor
. Western field. herwise lifewould soon be The blight bird,is one of these, a small bird which liveschiefly on insects and flies, though not averseto an occasional nip at a grape or a fig. The imported Chinese pheasants are alsoa great help in keeping down the pests ofthe insect world, especially the slugs andcrickets, but they also have a strong partialityfor the maize and potato crops of the farmers I am afraid look on the longtails more as enemies than friends, thoughthe sporting ones of the community for-give their depredations amongst the cropson account of the sport they afford with dogand gim. I have opened the crops of pheasants shoton different sporting trips, and in every casethey have contained great quantities of slugsand other insects, showing therefore that theymust do much good in ridding the land ofthe insect pests. Good sport can be had withthe pheasants, according to the localityhunted, though the gunner has usually to doa good deal of leg-work to enable him to. THE PACIFIC COAST MAGAZINE 39 iivc or six liracc can usually be got with-out expending undue energy, though manymore fall to the guns of those who do notmind the expenditure of greater fatigue andlabor in the attainment of their object. To bring down an old cock as he sailsacross some deep gulley on the fern clad hill-side, is surely well worth doing a little walk-ing for, and as the old dog retrieves the gameand lays it at your feet, the hard work andstiff walking fade into insignificance as youpick up the beautifully plumaged bird andlay him in the game bag. One more queer insect and my visit to thebuggy world is finished—this is the Mantisor walking twig. Like the chameleon thisqueer looking creature has the power ofcnanging its color to conform with the shade of its surroundings. It is commonly foundon the tea-tree scrub, and when on the younggreen leaves it is a corresponding color,changing to brown when it moves to the dead,brown colored portions. In shape it
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectsports, bookyear1902
