ZOOLOGY. 135 



The instruments requisite for this department are nearly 

 the same as for the preceding, but only on a smaller scale ; 

 the only additional ones are some strong blunt needles, and 

 some strait triangular ones, fixed in small handles, the former 

 to assist in smoothing and adjusting the feathers after stuff- 

 ing, and the latter, to puncture the eggs for the purpose of 

 blowing. 



The Gun offers the most certain mode of obtaining speci- 

 mens, and in most cases is the only one that can be pursued 

 with much probability of success ; in the using of it, care 

 should be taken to apportion the size and quantity of shot, 

 to the bird about to be destroyed, as want of care in this 

 particular has occasioned the loss of many valuable species. 

 Some kinds may be obtained by steeping seeds, berries, or 

 grain, in some deleterious infusion; the berries of Coculus 

 Indicus, commonly called French berries ; the nut called 

 Nux Vomica ; strong decoctions of Cardamums, or spirits, 

 will also answer ; the latter kinds have this advantage, that 

 the birds will only be stupified by feeding on grain soaked 

 in them, whereas the two former mostly prove fatal. 

 Many kinds may Ije taken either in common folding or clap ; 

 nets, or in nooses formed of stout horse hair, having one 

 end fastened to a stout peg that should be driven into the 

 ground, and then made into a noose or running knot, these 

 should be placed in situations to which the particular kinds 

 wanted, are accustomed to resort ; the size and texture of 

 the material of which the noose is formed, should be pro- 

 portioned to the size of the objects purposed to be caught. 

 The nooses should be sufficiently large to permit the birds 

 to pass their feet into them, and should be well secured ; 



K 4 



