Bird Catching in India. 171 



egret, which rejoins its fellows in tTie tree, far more astonished 

 than hurt. The net is again set. I,n this way a pair of 

 men can catch from 20 to 40 egrets in a day. Ducks and 

 other waterfowl are often captured by this device. 



Rosy Starlings are also caught in this way. .In their 

 case the nets are set under a mulberry tree, in a place that 

 has been slightly hollowed out. The nets and poles are 

 hidden by loose earth over which is scattered fruit which 

 attracts the Rosy' Starlings. When a goodly number of these 

 are collected, the nets are closed on the unsuspecting 

 starlmgs. 



The usual method of catching small birds is by means 

 of a thin bird-limed cane, which the bird-catcher can lengthen 

 by adding pieces to the stick in the same way as the pieces 

 of a fishing rod are joined together. Having limed well the 

 end of the stick, which is very slender, the bird-catcher seeks 

 outi the particular kind of bird he wishes to procure, and 

 pushes up his s'tick gently until he succeeds in touching his 

 victin> with it. So sticky is the 'lime that the bird adheres 

 to; the stick and despite frantic struggles and loud cries is 

 drawn down and secured by the bird-catcher. 



In order to attract small birds the bird-catcher stands 

 under a leafy tree and makes a curious noise, something like 

 the sound made by Indians to quiet a restive horse. The 

 small birds in the vicinity, fired by curiosity, come to see 

 wliat the noise is about and are promptly limed and piit into 

 tlio bird-catcher's loin-cloth, where they remain till he gets 

 home and cages them. 



In 'the case of some small birds— White-eyes, for ex- 

 ample, it is only necessary for the bird-catcher to flourish 

 his stick on which one bird has been caught to attract its 

 fellows. These flutter round the victim, making a great 

 uproar, and the bird-catcher waves his stick among them, 

 ana tnus secures several more of them. Only small birds can 

 be easily caught by means of the limed stick. The larger 

 birds arc often able to shake themselves free. For insectivor- 

 ous birds an apparatus known as a Karnani is largely used. 

 This consists of two or three thin twigs bent to semi-circles 

 and joined together at the middle. When this apparatus 

 stands up it has sonicw'hati the appearance of crossed croquet 



