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CATCHING BIRDS IN THE AVIARY.—The mention

of traps leads us on to another thought, which it is to be

hoped may prove the last, at any rate for the present. As most

of us know, it is sometimes necessary to catch birds in the

aviary ; and the larger the aviary the more important it is that

the work should be carried out with our brains and not by means

of the unscientific and dangerous net. In olden days, I used the

net almost as a matter of course ; but I cannot too strongly

condemn this the most usual custom. Of course one must and

should use the net sometimes, but not as a general practice. Mr.

Wiener I am glad to see (p. 59) does not favour the net. His

plan of bringing the wanted bird down with the garden syringe is

excellent when only a stray bird is required ; but it would not

work well in a garden full of birds of many kinds when a number

is required, as is the case here every autumn when a few dozens

have to be transferred to their winter quarters. For some

years now I have used traps, much after the manner described

(Vol. VI., p. 75) by Miss Alderson, and with most satisfactory

results. I now rarely use any trap but those which act only when

I desire ; and more and more I have been discarding the very

large ones in favour of those which can be carried bodily into the

house with their prisoners, and readily carried back again and

reset. Sometimes I use one which works on the principle

described by Miss Alderson ; but I find that a modification of the

sieve trap of our boyhood is by far the best in every way, being

simple, handy, and easily made by oneself in some ten minutes.

Take a piece of wire netting, of suitable mesh of course, some

two feet square (it need not be square, but is best when nearly

so), fold down the four edges to the width of about six inches,

making a cut at each corner to enable the fold to be effected,

interlace at each corner, and there you have in a minute a

rectangular cover of netting which, falling over a bird, would

make it a secure prisoner. Another piece of netting, fastened to

a slight frame to enable the whole to be carried into the

house, should be placed under the trap, and covered with sand

and seed or other food. When the whole affair is lifted, the sand,

seed, etc., slip through the wire and are left behind. Take a

piece of dead, natural looking, stick about six inches long, with

which prop up the side of the cover nearest to where you propose

stationing yourself, which should be out of the sight of the birds

if possible. If the ground be soft, place a stone under the end

of the stick to prevent it sinking into the ground. Fasten a piece

of thin dirty old string (but not rotten) to the lower end of the

stick, and carry the string moderately taut to your hiding-



