Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-16
FATAL CURIOSITY
Wild Creatures Indulge In Practice
Which often Lead 10 Their UcStructto,

Which often Lead TO Their Destruction
Many hunters of Oriental countries do
most Of their hunting by appealing to the
curiosity of the bird or other wild crea-
ture which they wish to bag There is
q species of partridge in Central Asia that
appears to have more than its share Of
curiosity. If you happened TO be tour
Ing through this section OF the country
during the season OF this pa rticular par
fridge YOU would notice peculiar objects
of many brilliant colors bobbing along in
the felds from behind rocks In
country plentifuliy stocked with
strange looking birds you might think
these objects were nothing more than
some new species that you had not seen
before, but on closer examination YOU
would discover each OF them 70 be a
native hunter.
In their left hands they are carrying
screens OF cloth which look something
like crazy quilts of the most glaring col
ors. This patchwork OF colored cloth is
stretched over frame resembling thar OF
kite, some of the cloth being tied OH
the edge IN the form Of streamers that
wave back and forth in the breeze The
spscies OF partridge for which they are
hunting is called the ChukaE or rock par
ti"lSt, anu IL ~ InuCn priced DN tne PEG
pie OF the region in which it 10 found
They are quite plentiful. but are so wild
that the hunters find Il difficult to get
within shooting distance. Our quail and
other game birds are of the same ner-
vous disposition toward the end Of the
hunting season
LIKE BRIGHT COLORS
Almost every native Astastic hunter
49, oh nd
can't get quite close 10 their game a
great many shots are wasted However
one of them discovered that the rock
partridge was brimfui OF curiosity and
prone quickly TO approach and nvest-
gate anything bright colored or otherwise
odd appearing. II is just poss ble that the
first dlscOyerer OF this trait happened to
have on a particularly bright shirt one
day and noticed that the rock parttdges
began TO gather nearer him. Then he rig
gsd up the kite-like contr,vanue. with Its
various colored cloths, and found that II
worked with stili greater effect. the birds
coming quite close. He began 20 bring
/ In so many OF those usually shy birds that
other hunters began 10 wonder wha: hint
OF system he was using 10 have such
/ phi enonsenai success. FINALLY one of hem
CHANGED 20 meet him while approac h ing
oVey OF tine pirus ana. or course, saw
I the pfliLaht lure ne was Using. Soon
every hunter was making use OF 'he con-
t7'ahce win the result that the hunting
grounds are no" dotted eSch day with
numbers Of odd looking crazy quilts wav-
ing In no air u seems strange that these
exceedingly WIN h'rds Viii actually come
toward mo hun'Ar IN order 70 !nvesu-
gate. but there Are other wild creatures
that will do the same
LARGEST OF SQUIRREL. FAMILY
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n,,har. ., ~. ,,,tr,si
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of curiosity IL certainly Joy.iobsd "a IN,
highest pit"h. but at the same time the,