172 Bird Catching in India. 



hoops. This is thoroughly limed, all over, and under it is 

 tethered the insect known as the mole-cricket. The latter is 

 speedily seen by some insect-eating bird, such as a roller, 

 which, when it flies to it has its wings caught in the lime 

 on the Kainani. 



Mr. H. S. Raines, states that in the Sunderbunds 

 young Paroquets are caught by placing limed bamboos a- 

 mong the reeds along the water's edge on which these birds 

 roost. According to this observer the patches of jungle 

 where young Parroquets are in the habit of spending the 

 night in large flocks are leased for Rs. 20 or more for the 

 season 1 



The more usual ^method of securing Parrots for the 

 market is to take the young birds out of the nests just before 

 they are ready to fly. 



Several devices exist for catching Amadavats, which 

 are the birds most commonly caged in India. In all of them 

 advantage is taken of the fact that Amadavats are gregarious 

 birds and are attracted by the call of their fellows. 



In the Punjab the amada vat-catcher supplies himself 

 with one of the ordinary pyramidal wicker cages to the base 

 of) one side of which is attached by a hinge a flap, which is 

 of the same shape and size as the side of the cage. The 

 flap consists of a fine net stretched over a wicker frame. 

 To the apex of the flap is fasten'ed a long string, which 

 passes through a loop at the top of the cage. When the 

 cage is iplaced on the ground with the string loose, the flap 

 lies flat on the ground. A smart pull at the string jerks the 

 flap close up againsit the side of the cage. Having put 

 two or three amadavats in the cage the bird-catcher sallies 

 forth into the grass land frequented by amadavats and, having 

 set down the cage and sprinkled some seed on the flap, 

 squats behind a bush, holding the end of the string in 

 his hand. Sooner or later an amadavat, attracted by the 

 calls of the captive birds, comes to the spot and alights on 

 the flap to obtain the seed. The string is pulled, and the' 

 amadavat is caught between the wall of the cage arid the 

 flap. It is then taken out of this and put into the cage 

 along, with the other captive birds. The trap is then set 

 again. 



