THE PILAWIN BEAVER.
A few hares are to be met with in the open country; but rabbits are unknown in the district, the ground being for the most part too moist and low-lying to suit their habits, although they occur some miles away.
As regards birds, a flock of some thirty bustards (Otis tarda) was reported not far from Antoniny about the time of our arrival; and the species is still fairly common in this part of Volhynia. Cranes and white storks are common in summer, but both species were on the eve of departure at the time of our visit. In some of the villages situated near swamps, almost every house has at least one stork’s nest on its roof; the total number of nests in a colony of this sort ranging from fifty to one hundred. Although the species is protected in Sclavonia, in this country there is nothing to prevent any one from shooting a stork. The bird is, however, considered to be semi-sacred by the natives; the popular belief being that if a stork is shot, its mate will come and set fire to the house of the destroyer.
Black storks are very scarce, and the appearance of one during our visit was therefore an unusual event. They depart later than the white species.
ELK IN WINTER.
Capercaillie occur in considerable numbers, both in the preserve of Pilawin and the neighbouring forests. They are shot in spring during the calling season. At one of the Count’s shooting-lodges in the neighbourhood, where a metal plate is fixed to the walls to commemorate the shooting of each capercaillie, the number of such plates exceeds ninety; and in the house at Pilawin is exhibited a photograph of five cocks shot in a single day. Black game (Tetrao tetrix), as well as hazel-grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), are likewise more or less abundant in the coverts. Partridges and quail breed in the corn-fields, although in no great numbers; the partridge being the common grey species. Duck of three or four kinds, as well as a few snipe, breed in the marshes; but there appears to be no winter influx of either ducks or geese. Hazel-grouse are shot by beating the forest, when the birds alight momentarily on the branches of the firs or oaks, where they offer fair marks.
The sight of a sea-eagle sailing majestically over the forest glades is comparatively common; while spotted eagles may from time to time be observed, and harrier-eagles (Circaëtus gallicus) are abundant. Eagle-owls (Bubo ignavus) haunt the pine-forests at all times of the year; and in spring a certain number of snowy owls (Nyctea scandiaca) make their appearance from the north. A semi-Indian character is communicated to the bird-fauna by the number of blue rollers (Coracias garrulus), locally known as Polish parrots, which may be seen in the open country; while lovely blue-throats (Cyanecula suecica) likewise form objects of special interest to the ornithologist from England. Of other birds it will suffice to mention that wheatears, red and grey shrikes, magpies, and wagtails are most in evidence in the open, while jays, green and pied woodpeckers (lesser and great), and nuthatches abound in the forest.
