230 NETS AND SNARES. 



provided with a ' grimma' or ' walling,' but not always ; 

 for if one keeps a good Avatcli on the net when set, this 

 addition is not needed for so small a bird as the Snipe. 

 Should the net, however, be left unattended the whole 

 night, the ' walling ' is an advantage, as it is then next 

 to impossible for the captive to extricate itself from the 

 meshes. The net should be dyed green. It is placed in 

 a zigzag loim amongst the tussocks at the ' Lek-stalle,' 

 and in such wise that if the bird follows the one ndt- 

 sirdclmiiig — or space between two of the pegs that fasten 

 the net to the ground — it becomes entangled in the next, 

 Avhich forms an angle with it. And it has happened to 

 me," the Doctor proceeds, " that when one of the birds 

 has been chasing a rival, both have been made prisoners 

 in the same compartment of the net." 



The Stick-Nat would seem to be a very destructive 

 engine ; for we read that " no less than sixty Solitary Snipes 

 have been taken in one of them at a pairing-ground in 

 Upland in the course of a single night ; and still," the 

 record goes on to say, "their numbers on the following 

 night seemed not materially diminished." 



Besides the Stick-Nat I am not aware of any device 

 being employed in the Peninsula for the capture of the 

 birds in question ; but in parts of Denmark, KJEerboUing 

 tells us, a sort of springe, that will hereafter be described, 

 is employed for the purpose. 



The Solitary Snipe, like other birds of chase in 

 Scandinavia, are said to have greatly decreased in number 

 of late years, partly attributed to the diminution of their 

 favourite breeding-grounds, owing to increased cultivation, 

 but principally to the exterminating war made on them 

 during the 2>airing season by both nets and guns. 



