Chapter 7 THE GAME-BIRDS AND "QUARRY" FLOWN AT BY FALCONERS.

GAME-PRESERVING, as we now understand the term, was probably unknown in Shakespeare's days, for sportsmen at that time had not the means of making such large bags, and consequently the necessity for breeding and rearing game artificially did not exist. Nature's liberal supply sufficed to satisfy the moderate demand, and the sportsman always returned home well pleased. We take it, however, that this satisfaction resulted more from an appreciation of sport than from the possession of a heavy bag.

What more enjoyable than the pursuit of partridges, "with grey gos-hawk in hand," as Chaucer hath it, or a flight at heron with a falcon?

The skill, too, which was required to kill a bird or rabbit with a single bolt from a cross-bow was far greater than that which is needed to achieve the same result with an ounce of shot from a breech-loader. Not that guns were unknown in Shakespeare's day, for the old-fashioned "birding-piece" was then in use, as we have already noticed.118 But, partly in consequence of its inferiority and cost, and partly because its use was so little understood, the majority of folks preferred to carry a weapon with which they were more skilled, and on which they could consequently place more reliance. Gradually, as the fowling-piece became more and more perfect, the long-bow and cross-bow were laid aside, and hawking became almost forgotten.

THE PHEASANT:

Notwithstanding that the Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) must have been well-known in Shakespeare's day, the poet has only once made mention of this bird. The passage occurs in The Winter's Tale, Act iv. Sc. 3, and runs thus:-

"Shepherd. My business, sir, is to the king.

Autolycus. What advocate hast thou to him?

Shepherd. I know not, an 't like you.

Clown (jokingly aside to Shepherd). Advocate's the court-word for a pheasant: say you have none.

Shepherd. None, sir; I have no pheasant, cock nor hen.

Autolycus. How blessed are we that are not simple men!"

ITS INTRODUCTION INTO BRITAIN.

The precise date of the introduction of the pheasant into Great Britain is uncertain, but there is evidence to show that it was prior to the invasion of the Normans, and that we are probably indebted for this game-bird to the enterprise of the Romans. The earliest record, we believe, of the occurrence of the pheasant in this country will be found in the tract "De inventione Sanct? Crucis nostr? in Monte Acuto et de ductione ejusdem apud Waltham," edited by Prof. Stubbs from manuscripts in the British Museum, and published in 1861.119 In one of these manuscripts, dated about 1177, is the following bill of fare prescribed by Harold for the Canons' Households, in 1059:-

"Erant autem tales pitanti? unicuique canonico: a festo Sancti Michaelis usque ad caput jejunii, aut xii. merul?, aut ii. agause?, aut ii. perdices, aut unus phasianus, reliquis temporibus aut anc?, aut gallin?."

Yarrell, in his "History of British Birds," gives an extract from Dugdale's "Monasticon Anglicanum" to the effect that the Abbot of Amesbury obtained a licence from the king to kill pheasants, in the first year of Henry I. (1100).

Leland, in his account of the feast given at the inthronisation of George Nevell, Archbishop of York, in the reign of Edward IV., tells us that, amongst other good things, two hundred "fesauntes" were provided for the guests.

ANCIENT VALUE OF GAME.

In the "Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York," under date "the xiiijth day of Novembre," the following entry occurs:-

"Itm?. The same day to Richard Mylner of Byndfeld for bringing a present of fesauntes cokkes to the Queene to Westminster vs?."

In the "Household Book" of Henry Percy, fifth Earl of Northumberland, which was commenced in 1512, the pheasant is thus referred to:-

"Item, Fesauntes to be hade for my Lordes own Mees at Principall Feestes and to be at xijd. a pece."

"Item, Fessauntis for my Lordes owne Meas to be hadde at Principalle Feistis ande to be at xijd. a pece."120

GAME-PRESERVING.

In the year 1536, Henry VIII. issued a proclamation in order to preserve the partridges, pheasants, and herons "from his palace at Westminster to St. Giles-in-the-Fields, and from thence to Islington, Hampstead, Highgate, and Hornsey Park." Any person, of whatever rank, who should presume to kill, or in any wise molest these birds, was to be thrown into prison, and visited by such other punishments as to the King should seem meet.

Some interesting particulars in regard to pheasants are furnished by the "Privy Purse Expenses of King Henry VIII." For example, under date xvjth Nov. 1532, we have:-

"Itm? the same daye paied to the fesaunt breder in rewarde ixs?. iiijd.

"Itm? the xxv daye paied to the preste the fesaunt breder at Elthm in rewarde ij corons ixs?. iiijd.

And in December of the same year:-

"Itm? the xxijd. daye paied to the french Preste the fesaunt breder for to bye him a gowne and other necesarys xls?."

From these entries it would appear that even at this date some trouble and expense was incurred in rearing pheasants. No allusion, however, is made to their being shot. They must have been taken in a net or snare, or killed with a hawk. The last-named mode is indicated from another source121:-

"Item, a Fesant kylled with the Goshawke.

"A notice, two Fesants and two Partridges killed with the hawks."

As a rule, they are only referred to as being "brought in," the bearer receiving a gratuity for his trouble.

"Jany. 1536–7. Itm?. geuen to Hunte yeoman of the pultry, bringing to hir gc?e two qwicke (i.e. live) phesants vijs?. vjd.

"Apl. 1537. Itm?. geuen to Grene the ptrich taker bringing a cowple of Phesaunts to my lady's grace iijs?. ixd.

"Jan. 1537–8. Itm?. geuen to my lady Carow's s'u?t bringing a qwicke Phesaunt ijs?.

"Jan. 1543–4. Itm?. geuen to Hawkyn, s'u?te of Hertford bringing a phesant and ptriches122 iijs?. iiijd."

In a survey of the possessions of the Abbey of Glastonbury made in 1539, mention is made of a "game" of sixteen pheasants in the woods at Meare, a manor near Glastonbury belonging to the Abbey.

GAME-LAWS.

According to Fynes Morrison ("Itinerary," 1617), there was in Ireland "such plenty of pheasants as I have known readie served at one feast."

The value set upon pheasants and partridges at various periods, as shown by the laws fixing penalties for their destruction, seems to have fluctuated considerably.

By a statute passed in the eleventh year of the reign of Henry VII. it was forbidden "to take pheasants or partridges with engines in another's ground without license in pain of ten pound, to be divided between the owner of the ground and the prosecutor." By 23 Eliz. c. 10, "None should kill or take pheasants or partridges by night in pain of 20s. a pheasant, and 10s. a partridge, or one month's imprisonment, and bound with sureties not to offend again in the like kind." By 1 Jac. I. c. 27, "No person should kill or take any pheasant, partridge, (&c.), or take or destroy the eggs of pheasants, partridges, (&c.), in pain of 20s., or imprisonment for every fowl or egg, and to find sureties in ￡20 not to offend in the like kind." Under the same statute, no person was permitted "to buy or sell any pheasant or partridge, upon pain to forfeit 20s. for every pheasant, and 10s. for every partridge." By 7 Jac. I. c. 11, "every person having hawked at or destroyed any pheasant or partridge between the 1st of July and last of August, forfeited 40s. for every time so hawking, and 20s. for every pheasant or partridge so destroyed or taken." Lords of manors and their servants might take pheasants or partridges in their own grounds or precincts in the day-time between Michaelmas and Christmas. But every person of a mean condition having killed or taken any pheasant or partridge, forfeited 20s. for each one so killed, and had to find surety in ￡20 not to offend so again.

In some of these old statutes, however, it was expressly stated that although pheasants and partridges could not be killed by any one with impunity, no penalty should attach for killing such birds as crows, kites, and buzzards, as these were well known to be destructive to the game which the statutes were framed to protect.

THE PARTRIDGE.

In the second part of Henry VI. Act iii. Sc. 2, we find the Partridge (Perdix cinerea) appropriately placed by Shakespeare in the nest of the kite:-

"Who finds the partridge in the puttock's nest,

But may imagine how the bird was dead,

Although the kite soar with unbloodied beak."

Henry VI. Part II. Act iii. Sc. 2.

Such was the beautiful metaphor uttered by the Earl of Warwick upon the occasion of the Duke of Gloucester's death. The unfortunate Duke was discovered dead in his bed, with marks of violence upon his features, and grave suspicion fell upon the Duke of Suffolk, who "had him in protection." This circumstance, coupled with the fact that Suffolk was a sworn enemy of Duke Humphrey, placed a heavy weight in the balance against him.

PARTRIDGE-HAWKING.

The provincial name of "puttock," which occurs in the above quotation, is sometimes applied to the kite, sometimes to the common buzzard. In this case, as shown by the context, the kite is the bird referred to. A greater enemy to the partridge than either of these birds is the peregrine, whose skill in taking this game was early turned to advantage by falconers. Partridge-hawking was formerly a favourite pastime, and is still, to a certain extent, with those few who still maintain the practice of falconry. For this sport either the peregrine or the goshawk may be used. Aubrey has recorded a curious event which happened when he was a freshman at Oxford in 1642. He frequently supped with Charles I., who then resided at the University; and on one of these occasions he heard the King say that-"As he was hawking in Scotland, he rode into the quarry, and found the covey of partridges falling upon the hawk." He adds that the King said-"I will swear upon the book that it is true." Mr. F. H. Salvin has been very successful in taking pheasants with the male goshawk, which he found required no "entering," but flew and killed even old cocks, threading his way through the trees in a wonderfully rapid manner.123

Those who made their living by fowling, and could not afford to hawk, took their birds by springe and net; and partridge-netting was, perhaps, as much in vogue in Shakespeare's day as now.

PARTRIDGE-NETTING.

In Much Ado about Nothing, allusion is again made to the partridge by Beatrice, who, referring to the ill-humour of Benedick, says,-

"He'll but break a comparison or two on me; which, peradventure, not marked or not laughed at, strikes him into melancholy; and then there's a partridge wing saved, for the fool will eat no supper that night."-Much Ado about Nothing, Act ii. Sc. 1.

As we speak of a "covey" of partridges, so we say a "bevy" of quails:-

"And many more of the same bevy."

Hamlet, Act v. Sc. 2.

THE QUAIL.

It was formerly the practice to keep Quails, and make them fight like game-cocks. Solon directed that quails should be made to fight in the presence of the Athenian youths, in order to inflame their courage, and the Romans held quail-fighting in still higher estimation. Augustus punished a prefect of Egypt with death for buying and bringing to table a quail which had acquired celebrity by its victories.124

Shakespeare was doubtless alluding to this sport when he wrote:-

"Here's Agamemnon, an honest fellow enough, and one that loves quails."-Troilus and Cressida, Act v. Sc. 1.

Even at the present day this sort of amusement is common in some parts of Italy, and still more so in China. In Italy, the practice is to feed up two quails very highly, and then place them opposite to each other at the end of a long table, throwing between them a few grains of millet-seed to make them quarrel. At first they merely threaten, lowering the head and ruffling all the neck feathers, but at length they rush on furiously, striking with their bills, erecting their heads, and rising upon their spurs, until one is forced to yield.

In Antony and Cleopatra (Act ii. Sc. 3), Antonius says of C?sar:-

"His cocks do win the battle still of mine,

When it is all to nought; and his quails ever

Beat mine inhoop'd at odds."

QUAIL-FIGHTING.

That there was some foundation for this assertion, we may gather from the following extract from North's "Plutarch":-

"With Antonius there was a soothsayer or astronomer in Egypt that coulde cast a figure and judge of men's nativities, to tell them what should happen to them. He told Antonius plainly that his fortune (which of itself was excellent good and very great) was altogether blemished and obscured by C?sar's fortune; and therefore he counselled him utterly to leave his company, and get him as farre from him as he coulde. Howsoever it was, the event ensuing proved the Egyptian's words true; for it is said that as often as they drew lots for pastime, who should have anything, or whether they played at dice, Antonius always lost. Oftentimes when they were disposed to see cock-fights, or quails that were taught to fight one with another, C?sar's cocks or quails did ever overcome. The which spited Antonius in his mind, although he made no outward show of it, and therefore he believed the Egyptian the better."

In Kircher's "Musurgia" the note of this bird is thus faithfully rendered125:-

Bi-ke-bik, Bi-ke-bik, Bi-ke-bik.

[MIDI]

Quails have always been considered a delicacy for the table, and those who may have the curiosity to visit the London markets in the spring of the year, will see large boxes full of live quails, which have been taken in nets and imported to this country for food.

THE LAPWING.

In the same way immense numbers of Lapwings (Vanellus cristatus), or Green Plovers, as they are called, find their way into the London markets. This bird has been noticed by Shakespeare chiefly on account of a peculiar trait in its character, with which most naturalists are very familiar. Like the partridge and some other birds, it has a curious habit of trying to draw intruders away from its nest or young by fluttering along the ground in an opposite direction, or by feigning lameness, or uttering melancholy cries at a distance:-

"Far from her nest the lapwing cries away."

Comedy of Errors, Act iv. Sc. 2.

Allusions to this habit are not unfrequent in our older poets. Lily, in his "Campaspe," 1584, says:-

"You resemble the lapwing, who crieth most where her nest is not."

So also Greene, in the second part of his "Coney Catching," 1592:-

"But again to our priggers, who, as before

I said, cry with the lapwing farthest from her nest."

And in Ben Jonson's Underwoods we are told,-

"Where he that knows will like a lapwing flie,

Farre from the nest, and so himselfe belie."

Hence the phrase "to seem the lapwing," which occurs in Measure for Measure, Act i. Sc. 4. So also in Much Ado about Nothing,-

"For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs,

Close by the ground, to hear our conference."

Act iii. Sc. 1.

It is rather curious that Shakespeare has not alluded to this bird under its popular name of "Peewit,"-a name which, derived from its cry, we believe to be of some antiquity. Nor has he referred to it by another name, which must have been commonly applied to it in his day, i.e., "Wype." In the old "Household Books" and "Privy Purse Expenses," we frequently meet with such entries as the following:-

"Item, it is thought goode that wypes126 be hade for my Lordes own mees onely and to be at jd. a pece."

The young of this, and many other, species run almost as soon as hatched, and Shakespeare has not overlooked this peculiarity:-

"This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head."

Hamlet, Act v. Sc. 2.

We have before had occasion to make a passing allusion to the Heron, and in the present chapter this bird deserves more particular attention, from the fact of its being so frequently flown at by falconers.

Hawking at herons was thought to be "a marvellous and delectable pastime," and in all the published treatises upon falconry, many pages are dedicated to this particular branch of the sport.

Not only were herons protected by Act of Parliament, but penalties were incurred for taking the eggs,127 and no one was permitted to shoot within 600 paces of a heronry, under a penalty of ￡20 (7 Jac. I. c. 27).

THE HERNSHAW.

We should scarcely have thought it possible to find a man who would not know a hawk from a heron when he saw it, and Hamlet evidently considered that such an one would not be in his right mind, for he says of himself:-

"I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw."-Hamlet, Act ii. Sc. 2.

He referred here to an old proverbial saying, originally "he does not know a hawk from a hernshaw," that is, a heron; but the word was thus corrupted before Shakespeare's day. (See ante, p. 75.)

HERON-HAWKING.

John Shaw (M.A., of Cambridge), who published a curious book in 1635, entitled "Speculum Mundi," tells us therein that "the heron or hernsaw is a large fowle that liveth about waters," and that "hath a marvellous hatred to the hawk, which hatred is duly returned. When they fight above in the air, they labour both especially for this one thing-that one may ascend and be above the other. Now, if the hawk getteth the upper place, he overthroweth and vanquisheth the heron with a marvellous earnest flight." This old passage contrasts quaintly with the animated description of heron-hawking in Freeman and Salvin's modern treatise.128 Those who have taken part in the sport cannot fail to be interested in a truthful narrative of what they must so often have witnessed; while those who have never seen a trained falcon on the wing will learn a good deal from the following excellent description:-

"'Well, then, here goes,' says the falconer; and having let the heron get a little past, off go the hoods. For a moment one hawk looks up, and is cast off; the other a moment or two afterwards. They both see him; now for a flight. The heron was about 250 yards high, and perhaps a quarter of a mile wide. The hawks had gone up about a quarter of the way before the heron saw them in hot pursuit. 'Now he sees them!' is exclaimed; and the riders rattle their horses as hard as they can, over deep sand-hills, down wind. The heron, in the meanwhile, vomits up his fish to lighten himself, and begins ringing-up down wind. It is a curious thing to see the different man?uvres of the birds. With his large wings, the heron can mount very fair, and has a far better chance of beating off the hawks than if he flew straight forward. This he knows full well by instinct, and puts on accordingly all sail for the upper regions, generally in short rings. Hawks make larger rings as a general rule, if, like these, they are good ones. Those have but a bad chance with a good heron if they adopt the same tactics that he does in mounting. This the two old hawks know full well. So far they have been pretty near together, but, seeing the prey beginning to mount, they separate, each their own way, now taking a long turn down wind, and then breasting the wind again. 'De Ruyter' makes the best rings, and after having gone a mile, there is a shout-'Now "De Ruyter" is above him!' and the hawk is seen poising herself for a stoop; down she comes, with closed wings, like a bullet, and hits the heron; it is too high to see where, but the scream the quarry gives is tremendous. Hurrah! there's a stoop for you! Both hawk and heron have descended some yards; the former, from the impetus of her stoop, much beneath the heron, but she shoots up again to a level. In fact, it was a perfect stoop. Though so near the heron, she does not attempt a little stoop, but again heads the wind so that the heron appears to be flying the hawk. 'Sultan' is now above both, and makes her stoop, but not so good as her partner's. However, she makes two quickly, and is within an ace of catching; but the good heron will not give an inch, and 'Sultan' will have to give another ring for another stoop. But where is 'De Ruyter' all this time? She has made a long ring, and is now a long way above them. She makes another full stoop, and this time there is no mistake about it, for she hits the heron so hard that he is nearly stupefied. 'Sultan' joins in the fray and catches. Whoo-whoo-o-p! down they come. Down they all three go together, till, just before reaching the ground, the two old hawks let go of their prey, which falls bump. Before he has had time to recover himself, in a moment the hawks are on him, 'De Ruyter' on the neck, and 'Sultan' on his body. Hurrah for the gallant hawks! and loud whoops proclaim his capture. 'Wouldn't take ￡100 for them,' says their owner, who has ridden well, judiciously as well as hard, and has got up in time to save the heron's life. He gives the hawks a pigeon, and puts the heron between his knees in a position so that he can neither spike him nor the hawks with his bill. He has two beautiful long black feathers, which are duly presented to Prince Alexander-alas! now no more-who is well up at the take. These feathers are the badge of honour in heron-hawking in Holland, as the fox's brush is in hunting in England. The hawks are fed up as speedily as possible, the heron has a ring put round his leg, and is let loose, evidently not knowing what to make of it.

"We hasten back as fast as we can, but the weather being now hot, the herons move more by night than by day. Many anxious eyes search the horizon for another.

"The two sets of falconers, with their hawks, place themselves about half a mile apart, to intercept the herons on their passage back from their fishing-grounds.

"There is no lack of herons. The little wind there was has fallen to a calm, and they come home higher. All the better, for we have some good casts to fly. One is soon 'hooded off' at, and, after a capital flight, is taken high in the air. The pet hawks are now taken in hand-'De Ruyter' and 'Sultan;' and, as there is no wind, the owner says he will fly at the first 'light one,' that comes at all fair. All is excitement when one is seen coming from the heronry, and therefore unweighted. They are 'hooded off' in his face; he sees them directly, and proceeds to mount. 'Now, good hawks, you will have some work to do before you overtake him!' The knowing riders are down wind as hard as they can go. Ring after ring is made, and yet the hawks seem to gain but little on him. Still they are flying like swallows: 'De Ruyter' makes a tremendous ring, but still fails to get above him. Again and again they ring, and have attained a great height. A scream of delight is heard: they are above him; 'De Ruyter' is at him! A fine stoop, but the heron dodges out of the way. Now for 'Sultan;' but she misses too; the heron is up like a shot, and three or four rings have to be made before there is another stoop. Another and another stoop, with loud cheers from below. 'Sultan' just catches him once, but can't hold; it seems still a doubtful victory, when 'De Ruyter' hits him hard; and, after two or three more stoops, 'Sultan' catches him, amidst the excitement of hurrahs and whoops; a really good flight; can't be better,-two and a half miles from where they were 'hooded off.'

"Thus ended as good a day's sport as any one could wish to see."

The heron, besides affording great sport with hawks, was considered, when killed, a delicacy for the table. At the ancient City feasts and entertainments to royalty, the heron always appeared amongst the other good things;129 and from the old "Household Books" it appears that the price usually paid for this bird was xijd. Of late years the heron has dropped out of the bill of fare, and no longer forms a fashionable dish. One of the last records of its appearance at table which we have met with, is in connection with the feast which was given by the Executors of Thomas Sutton, the founder of the London Charter House, on the 18th May, 1812, in the Hall of the Stationers' Company. "For this repast were provided 32 neats' tongues, 40 stone of beef, 24 marrow-bones, 1 lamb, 46 capons, 32 geese, 4 pheasants, 12 pheasants' pullets, 12 godwits, 24 rabbits, 6 hearnshaws," &c., &c.

THE WOODCOCK.

Amongst the other "lang-nebbit things" which interest both sportsman and gourmand, the Woodcock and Snipe received almost as much attention in Shakespeare's day as they do at the present time-with this difference, however, that where the gun is now employed, the gin or springe was formerly the instrument of their death.

"Four woodcocks in a dish."

Love's Labour's Lost, Act iv. Sc. 3.

The woodcock, for some unaccountable reason, was supposed to have no brains, and the name of this bird became a synonym for a fool. It is to this that Claudio alludes when he says:-

"Shall I not find a woodcock too?"

Much Ado about Nothing, Act v. Sc. 1.

Again-

"O this woodcock! what an ass it is!"

Taming of the Shrew, Act i. Sc. 2.

A SPRINGE FOR WOODCOCKS.

Shakespeare has many allusions to the capture of this bird by springe and gin-

"Aye, springes to catch woodcocks."

Hamlet, Act i. Sc. 3.

HOW TO MAKE A SPRINGE.

In his "Natural History and Sport in Moray," Mr. St. John describes a springe with which he used to take both snipe and woodcocks very successfully. It was made as follows:-

A. Rod like a mole-trap stick. B. Short piece of stick. C. Forked stick with one end passed through the other. D. Straight stick. E. Bent stick. F. Hair-snare.

A, by pulling on B, presses it against the forked stick C, which in turn is pressed against the upright stick D, and this keeps it all in place. But on a bird stepping on the forked stick C, the weight of the bird loosens its hold, and the long stick A flies up, catching the victim in the snare, which is laid flat on the forked stick C.

Then, as Shakespeare hath it,-

"If the springe hold, the cock's mine."

Winter's Tale, Act iv. Sc. 2.

Mr. A. E. Knox, in his "Game-Birds and Wild-Fowl," has described a very similar trap, and his description is so animated, while at the same time so instructive, that we are tempted to overlook the similarity and quote his words:-

"We soon found many tracks of the woodcock on the black mud; and on one spot these, as well as the borings of his beak, were very numerous. Here my companion halted, and pulling out his knife, cut down a tall willow rod, which he stuck firmly into the ground in nearly an upright position, or perhaps rather inclining backwards.

"On the opposite side of the run he fixed a peg, so as to project only a few inches above the surface; to this he fastened a slight stick about a foot long, attached loosely with a tough string, much as the swingel of a flail is to its handstaff: another branch of a willow was bent into an arch, and both ends driven into the soft ground to a considerable depth on the opposite side of the track, and nearer to the tall upright wand. To the top of the latter a string was now fastened, the end of which was formed into a large running noose; while, about half way down, another piece of stick, about six inches long, was tied by its middle. The flexible wand was then bent forcibly downwards, one end of the little stick overhead was passed under the arch, while it was retained in this position, and at the same time the bow prevented from springing upwards, by the other extremity being placed against a notch at the end of the stick which had been fastened to the peg on the other side of the run, across which it now lay, two or three inches from the ground, and supported the noose. This, in fact, constituted the trigger, which was to be released when struck by the breast of the woodcock. The old man constructed his trap in much less time than I have taken to describe it. His last care was to weave the sedges on either side of the run into a kind of screen, so as to weir the woodcock into the snare, and this he accomplished with much skill and expedition."

"We have caught the woodcock."

All's Well, Act iv. Sc. 1.

THE GIN.

Another method of taking this bird was with a steel trap called "a gin:"

"Now is the woodcock near the gin."

Twelfth Night, Act ii. Sc. 5.

This trap, being commonly used now-a-days for rats, is probably too well known to need a description here.

"So strives the woodcock with the gin."

Henry VI. Part III. Act i. Sc. 4.

THE WOODCOCK'S HEAD.

Under the head of "Wild-Fowl" we shall have occasion, in a subsequent chapter, to allude to the opinion of Pythagoras on the transmigration of souls, and to the discussion on this subject in Twelfth Night, when the clown portentously observes to Malvolio,-

"Fear to kill a woodcock, lest thou dispossess the soul of thy grandam. Fare thee well."-Twelfth Night, Act iv. Sc. 2.

The "woodcock's head" in Shakespeare's day, on account of its shape, was a fashionable term for a tobacco-pipe.130 "Those who loved smoking sat on the stage-stools, with their three sorts of tobacco, and their lights by them, handing matches on the point of their swords, or sending out their pages for real Trinidado. They actually practised smoking under professors who taught them tricks; and the intelligence offices were not more frequented, no, nor the pretty seamstresses' shops at the Exchange, than the new tobacco office."131

It is somewhat remarkable that while Shakespeare's contemporary, Ben Jonson, has founded whole scenes upon the practice of smoking, he himself has made no mention of it. Some commentators have brought this forward as a proof of the comparative earliness of many of his dramas, but smoking was in general use long before Shakespeare left London, and he drew his manners almost entirely from his own age, making mention of masks, false hair, pomanders, and fardingales, all of which were introduced about the same time. But apropos of "the woodcock's head," we are wandering away from Shakespeare's birds.

THE SNIPE.

The Snipe (Scolopax gallinago) has been less frequently noticed by him than the woodcock. Indeed we have been unable to find more than one passage in which it is mentioned.

Iago, alluding to Roderigo, says:-

"For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane,

If I would time expend with such a snipe,

But for my sport and profit."

Othello, Act i. Sc. 3.

The speaker being evidently of opinion that a snipe was too insignificant a bird to the sportsman to warrant his taking much trouble to kill it, except for mere sport.

That there was a good deal more "sport" than "profit" is extremely likely; for it is difficult to believe that the sportsmen of Shakespeare's day, with guns such as we have described, fired with either fuze or flint, could have successfully stopped the erratic flight of a snipe. That large numbers of snipe were brought to market, and appeared at table, in Shakespeare's time, is clear from the numerous entries in the old "Household Book," where their value is stated to have been "after iii a j d." There can be little doubt, however, that these were not "shot birds," but were taken in snares and nets, as our modern fowlers take plovers and other fen birds.