ANCIENT METHODS OF CAPTURING WILD-FOWL. 121 



for Gentry" publishes this disreputable art as a great secret, as wiU 

 be seen from the extracts below.* 



This derog-atory system of fowling is also alluded to in the " Song' 

 of the Poacher," published in vol. ii. " Annals of Sporting." 



" Or barley, oats, or wheat lie'd use, 

 Steeped in the Indian beriy's juice, 

 Which by the heedless birds devour'd 

 Makes them fall senseless and o'erpower'd, 

 At once a rich and easy prey." 



Besides the two recipes below, the author of "A Jewell for 

 Gentrie" puts forth another " excellent way to make a baite to catch 

 wilde geese, and wild duckes, and aU other sorts of fowle." It con- 

 sists in simply steeping the seeds and roots of " Belenge" in water, 

 and, when well soaked, laying it in places the resort of wild-fowl ; 

 when, if the birds eat it, they are said to " sleepe as if they were 

 drunke," and in that state the fowler is enabled to take them without 

 difficulty. It is added, that if brimstone be mixed with the bait, the 

 birds "faU downe and die;" but in order to keep them "that they die 

 not, you must give them to drinke oyle olive, and shortly after they 

 will revive againe."t 



In centuries past, a most destructive and reprehensible system of 

 fowling was pursued, whereby thousands of wild-duck and teal were 

 taken during the moulting season ; 



" For sure unless in me, no one yet ever saw 

 The multitudes of fowl in raooting time they draw."J 



When, having lost many of their feathers, they were unable to fly, and 

 their joung being only half-grown ; in this helpless condition, old birds 

 and young, were driven into tunnel-nets and secured. It is one of the 



* " A rare secret to catch fowle, as geese, duckes, or birds : — Nuxe vomica, other- 

 wise called in EngUsh spring nut : put a pretie deale of that sod in a peake of 

 barley, or as little as you thinke good, or fetches, or wheat, and beiug strowed where 

 wUde geese, or wilde duckes come, and as soone as they eate of this, they will sound, 

 and you may take them with your hand." — A Jewell for Gentrie; printed for Jno, 

 Helme : a.d. 1614. 



" Another pretie way to make birds drunke that you may take them with yo'ir 

 hand : — Take wheat or fetches, or any other seede, and lay the same in steepe in lees 

 of wine, or in the juice of hemlocke, and strow the same in the place where birds 

 use to haunt, and if they eat thereof, straightwaies they will be so giddie that you 

 may take them with your hand." — Ihid. 



■f The restorative properties of " saUet oyle" ^vith " white wiae vinegar" are recom- 

 mended by Blome to be given to fowl as soon as captm-ed, for the pui'pose of correct- 

 ing the ill effects of the poison. 



1 Drayton. 



