METHOD OF CAPTURING WILD-^OWL IN RUSSIA. 387 



attained, they mig'ht often spare their nets from being" broken away ; 

 and by providing* pen-falls or pits, they would be enabled to take 

 some of the species of wild-fowl in those parts by thousands. 



Wild-fowl are also taken in the lesser rivers of Siberia, by means of 

 small nets stretched across the streams; when, during- night, the 

 birds are disturbed, and in swooping* over the waters, fall into the nets 

 and are captured. 



The Kamtschadales are awake to many devices for taking* water- 

 fowl. Necessity and deprivation having forced the spirit of invention 

 among* that people, and taught them that Providence has ordained 

 such birds for man's subsistence in a season when food is extremely 

 scarce ; — 



" In those cold regions where no summers cheer, 

 Where brooding darkness covers half the year ;"* 



so he has gifted man with the power to devise means for capturing* 

 them ; though he has wisely ordered that they are not to be taken 

 without industry and ingenuity. 



During' the moulting* season, when there are thousands of wild-fowl 

 of every variety in those parts, they are sometimes pursued in boats, 

 or hunted with dog's, in the same manner as swans are hunted and 

 killed in Iceland. f 



The Kamtschadales also catch numbers of wild-g*eese during* the 

 moulting* season. These they take in pits dug* near the brink of such 

 lakes and rivers as the birds are in the habit of resorting* to. The 

 pits resemble those employed in some countries for taking' wild-beasts, 

 and are lightly covered with g-rass in the same manner ; when the 

 geese, on stepping* ashore, and walking* about the land in search of 

 food, fall into them and become easy prey to the fowler. It woidd 

 seem that a similar method of taking* wild-ducks was known to 

 the ancients. Pliny says, " Itaque in foveas quihus feras venamur 

 delapsce solce evadunt."l 



They also take large numbers of wild-fowl in the moulting* season, 

 by surrounding* them with a fleet of small boats, and driving* them 

 into a shallow river or bay with the flood tide ; then by watching* 

 them and waiting* many hours in their boats at the mouth of the 

 river, the birds are prevented from returning ; and so are compelled to 



* Dry den. f Vide ante, page 206. 



X Pliuy, lib- X., cap. xxxviii. sec. 113. 



