92 THE RING OF NATURE 



place annually until a few years ago. Wires were 

 set up as resting-places for the tired birds as they 

 came in from the Mediterranean, and when they 

 accepted the treacherous invitation an electric 

 current tumbled them by the thousand dead to 

 the ground. Now, however, France has joined 

 the International Convention for the Protection 

 of Birds, promoted principally by Austria, and 

 our ladies must wear something other than swallows' 

 wings in their hats. 



Great Britain, whose example is generally con- 

 sidered of great value in these humane interna- 

 tional movements, stands outside the Convention, 

 and her ancient friend Italy takes the excuse to 

 do the same. Italy has especial opportunities of 

 waylaying the birds of northern Europe on their 

 spring journey, and makes the most of those 

 opportunities. 



Nets are spun by the mile round Lago Maggiore 

 and Lago Lugano during the spring. An average 

 net is a mile long and fifteen feet high, and into 

 one of these the tired birds fly by the hundred at 

 short intervals during the three or four weeks of 

 migration. 'Roccolo ' hedges of hornbeam have been 

 planted and tended by the square mile, and they 

 are tenanted by blinded songsters and other lures 

 for the free birds. Imitation hawks are sent up 

 to frighten the birds into these shelters, which are 

 a maze of network entanglements from which no 

 escape is possible. The wonder seems to be that 

 any migrant goes over the passes alive. 



