BIRDS OF THE HEATH 293 



a single " draw/' but the commoner manner is by 

 means of " liming." 



At some little distance from the feeding-ground 

 where small parties are constantly crossing, a 

 branch or small bush is erected on a wall or other 

 conspicuous spot. To every spray, short cleft pegs, 

 each with a hole bored at the upper end, are affixed. 

 The practised catcher then takes a quantity of bird- 

 lime between thumb and finger of the left hand, 

 and with a bundle of stiff rushes under his arm he, 

 with his right hand, draws each rapidly through the 

 lime and inserts it in the hole in the peg. Then 

 the call-birds in their tiny cages are withdrawn 

 from the knotted handkerchief, and the " set " is 

 complete. For a little while the decoys appear 

 languid and chirp only at intervals, but soon faint 

 notes are heard in the distance, and dark, undulat- 

 ing specks are seen in the sky. The "calls" 

 at once respond; their cries becoming louder and 

 filled with entreaty as the wild birds draw nearer. 

 At length the entire party droops down, often from 

 a great height, and alights upon the bush. Some of 

 their number fall instantly, the limed twigs being 

 at once detached from the pegs directly the wings 

 touch them, but others, having chanced upon a 

 more open space, rest quietly. If they turn to right 

 or left, however, some part of their plumage be- 

 comes attached, and they too disappear from the 

 bough. Should they evade the clinging rush and 

 flit again into the air, the efforts of the " calls " 

 are redoubled, and after hovering awhile, they 

 return to the fatal boughs and soon join their 

 comrades on the ground. 



