34 BIRD- CA TCHING. 



easily secure the old ones when they come to feed their 

 young ; or a bird of prey's basket, with a lark or 

 mouse put in it as a lure, may be placed where these 

 birds are most frequently seen. This machine is 

 raised on four stakes, and somewhat resembles a com- 

 mon safe, having a lower shelf as large as a moderate- 

 sized table, with four upright posts, to which are 

 fastened the partitions of net or wire ; on the top and 

 sides are fixed two iron rods ; on these, by means of 

 rings, there runs a net which covers the whole. 



Kingfisher. When the place which one of these 

 birds frequent most, and which is generally near an 

 eddy in the water, is well known, a stake must be 

 iked to which the snare, called a springe, can be fast- 

 ened; by this means the bird maybe easily taken. 

 Lime twigs may also be put on a bush or stake near 

 the water's edge, provided it does not hang so much 

 over the water as to risk the bird's falling into it when 

 fixed by the lime. 



Linnet. These birds are distrustful and suspicious, 

 and, notwithstanding decoys and perching birds, it is 

 very difficult to entice them within the decoy or area, 

 and never many together. In the spring, by means of 

 a good decoy bird, a few may be taken on a decoy 

 bush. In the autumn, by fastening snares or lime 

 twigs on the stalks of lettuces, of the seeds of which 

 the linnets are very fond, several maybe taken. Our 

 shepherds turn and support the cribs, used to feed 

 the sheep from, in such a manner that the linnets, 

 coming to gather the grains of salt, easily overturn 

 them on themselves. 



Missel Thrush. These birds are taken, in autumn 

 with nets and snares, with berries for the bait, and 

 they are caught in great numbers. They may also be 



