330 METHOD OF CATCHING WOODCOCKS. 



namely, the great decrease of our woodlands ; the improve- 

 ments in agriculture, by which their haunts have been drained 

 or broken up ; and, lastly, the increase of population, which, 

 more than we are aware of, deters shy and solitary birds from 

 remaining in neighbourhoods to which they formerly resorted. 

 It was a favourite amusement, in former days, to catch Wood- 

 cocks, by dozens, of a night, in places where now not a dozen 

 could be taken in a whole season. Large openings were left, 

 or rather made, in woods, which at night were filled up with 

 wide-spreading nets, fastened by pulleys to tall branches ; a 

 man stood concealed on one side, with a rope running through 

 the pulleys, who, the instant he felt a cock touch the net, let 

 it go, and the net falling over the bird, secured the prize. In 

 the fine old beech wood, which we have already more than 

 once alluded to, numbers were formerly taken, in a wide 

 space, still known by the name of the Woodcock-glade, where 

 many a winter's night might now be spent unprofitably and 

 possibly without meeting with a single bird. Another mode 

 of catching them was by springes a sort of trap, formed of an 

 elastic stick, to which was fastened a horse-hair noose, put 

 through a hole in a peg, fastened into the ground, to which a 

 trigger Avas annexed ; and in order to induce the Woodcock to 

 walk towards the noose, a little fence was extended on each 

 side by small sticks, set up close enough to prevent the bird 

 passing between : these all met at the trap ; so that, by this 

 funnel-shaped fence, the Woodcock in feeding is compelled to 

 pass through the narrow passage, with every chance of being 

 caught by the legs. The elastic stick, in flying up, of course 

 draws the noose quite tight, and effectually secures the Wood- 

 cock ; but common horse-hair nooses will often answer the 

 purpose, particularly if the little avenue fence is placed to lead 

 the birds to the snare. We remember seeing in the South of 

 France a tolerably large fallow field actually sown with horse- 

 hair nooses, placed in straight lines, for catching Larks and 

 other small birds ; so closely were they set, that it was almost 

 impossible for any small bird to alight in the field, and run a 

 few feet, without being caught. The guiding avenue consisted 

 merely of two small twigs,, curved outwardly on each side : 



