DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53553#0246
214
can. Exhausted as the bird is, there is little difficulty in seizing
him. The most common and productive method is, for one
man to have a net, which he carries folded upon two poles,
another drives the quails towards him, when the former in-
stantly expands his net, and as soon as the birds strike a-
gainst it, he turns the net with great dexterity, and confines
them entangled as they are. They are then put into a bag,
to preserve them alive, because the live ones fetch a double
price at Naples. Very often, however, this pastime is at-
tended with serious consequences: the bearer of the net, in
twisting it round, frequently loses his balance, from the
weight of the long poles, and is precipitated from the rocks.
Even boys, from the age of four, amuse themselves by catch-
ing them with the hand in the bushes, and putting them
under the netting which they constantly wear on their heads;
and on their return home, the height of this animated head-
dress, as it affords the best proof of their success, is a matter of
triumph among them. In Egypt, where these birds arrive in
the month of September, I have more than once seen the Arabs
killing or laming them, by throwing short sticks at them.
During the time that the Capitano Bey blockaded the har-
bour of Alexandria with his Turkish squadron, one of the
Greek sailors of his ship caught two or three which had perch-
ed on the rigging. The Mussulman rewarded him generous-
ly, and desirous of varying the hard fare which a blockading
squadron has usually to sustain, by a more ample supply of
such a delicate rarity, promised apiaster for every quail that
should be brought him. In a few days the rigging, sails,
and yards were covered with flocks of quails; great num-
bers were caught of course, and every one was brought
into the cabin, as the price had been so liberally fixed. To
escape the dilemma of either ruining his purse or breaking
his promise, the Capitano Bey resorted to the alternative of
standing out to sea, as by removing from the coast, he got
rid of the visits of these expensive strangers.
But
can. Exhausted as the bird is, there is little difficulty in seizing
him. The most common and productive method is, for one
man to have a net, which he carries folded upon two poles,
another drives the quails towards him, when the former in-
stantly expands his net, and as soon as the birds strike a-
gainst it, he turns the net with great dexterity, and confines
them entangled as they are. They are then put into a bag,
to preserve them alive, because the live ones fetch a double
price at Naples. Very often, however, this pastime is at-
tended with serious consequences: the bearer of the net, in
twisting it round, frequently loses his balance, from the
weight of the long poles, and is precipitated from the rocks.
Even boys, from the age of four, amuse themselves by catch-
ing them with the hand in the bushes, and putting them
under the netting which they constantly wear on their heads;
and on their return home, the height of this animated head-
dress, as it affords the best proof of their success, is a matter of
triumph among them. In Egypt, where these birds arrive in
the month of September, I have more than once seen the Arabs
killing or laming them, by throwing short sticks at them.
During the time that the Capitano Bey blockaded the har-
bour of Alexandria with his Turkish squadron, one of the
Greek sailors of his ship caught two or three which had perch-
ed on the rigging. The Mussulman rewarded him generous-
ly, and desirous of varying the hard fare which a blockading
squadron has usually to sustain, by a more ample supply of
such a delicate rarity, promised apiaster for every quail that
should be brought him. In a few days the rigging, sails,
and yards were covered with flocks of quails; great num-
bers were caught of course, and every one was brought
into the cabin, as the price had been so liberally fixed. To
escape the dilemma of either ruining his purse or breaking
his promise, the Capitano Bey resorted to the alternative of
standing out to sea, as by removing from the coast, he got
rid of the visits of these expensive strangers.
But