MODE OF USING IT. 69 



There are always two men on these nocturnal expe- 

 ditions; one carries the gun and the other the " bloss." 

 Starting after dark, they explore the part of the forest 

 where the birds have at dusk been heard to "tree "for 

 the night, or where there is reason to believe they are 

 roosting. The gunner goes in advance, and is followed at 

 a little distance by his companion with the " bloss," which 

 should be held aloft, so as to throw a steady and bright 

 light amongst the upper branches of the surrounding pines. 

 Both men keep a sharp look-out ; and when they discover 

 the Capercali, which are said to remain stupidly gazing 

 at the fire beneath, the gunner shoots them at his leisure. 

 It is asserted, indeed, that if he commences with the 

 undermost bird, he may kill the whole pack in succession ; 

 if, on the contrary, he first shoots the uppermost, the pro- 

 bability is that the rest will instantly take wing. 



But even when the whereabouts of the Capercali have 

 been previously ascertained, it happens that, owing to the 

 darkness of the night, the men go astray. To prevent 

 this mishap they sometimes mark the direction in which 

 the birds are known to roost by a prostrate tree, or by a 

 tree felled for the purpose. And when, at night, they 

 betake themselves to the forest, they, instead of a single 

 "bloss," make use of two, which are placed at either end 

 of a long pole. The man carrying this pole goes a cer- 

 tain distance in advance of the gunner, who remains at 

 the tree in question to keep it and the two lights in an 

 exact line with each other. A halt is then called and the 

 gunner rejoins his companion ; and thus they proceed, 

 alternately advancing and halting, until they have reached 

 the part of the forest where the birds are known or 

 believed to be " treed," when they commence searching 

 for them in the manner already described. By the 

 adoption of this ingenious contrivance it seldom happens 

 that the fowlers go very wide of their mark. 



