Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/126

 food, it does nothing but eat, and repose for digestion. If hunger induces it to move, its step is awkward, and its jumps so clumsy as to be disagreeable to the eye. Its song consists only of weak and uncertain whistling, a little resembling that of the Thrush, but not so loud. While singing it moves the crest, but hardly moves the throat. If this warbling is somewhat unmusical, it has the merit of continuing throughout every season of the year. When angry, which happens sometimes near the common feeding-trough, it knocks very violently with its beak. It is readily tamed." The same writer remarks that the two kinds of univeral [sic] paste appear delicacies to it; and that it is satisfied even with bran steeped in water. It swallows every thing voraciously, and refuses nothing eatable, such as potatoes, cabbage, salad, fruit of all kinds, and especially white bread.

The Chatterer is easily taken by means of nooses, to which mellow berries are attached. It is not deterred from rushing into nets and springes, even by the sight of its companions entrapped and hanging in the nooses, uttering cries of distress. The flesh is esteemed as delicate and well-flavoured.

Nothing whatever is known of the domestic economy of these birds, either in the Old or the New World. They certainly have never been known to breed in any part of Europe, where indeed they are seen only in winter. Central Asia is supposed to be the scene of their summer residence, and the bringing up of their family. The kindred species of the United States (A. Carolinensis, .), however, builds