13S A HISTORY OF 



probably consists of the parents conducting their new-fledged y<ving 

 tc those places where there is sufficient provision, and a proper teni 

 perarnent of the air during the winter season ; and their return in 

 spring is obviously from an attachment to the place which was found 

 so convenient before for the purposes of nestling and incubation. 



Autumn is the principal season when the bird-catcher employs his 

 art to catch "these wanderers. His nets are a most ingenious piece 

 of mechanism, being generally twelve yards and a half long, and two 

 yards and a half wide, and so contrived as from a flat position to rise 

 on each side, and clap over the birds that are decoyed to come be- 

 tween them. The birds in their passage are always observed to fly 

 against the wind ; hence there is a great contention among the bird- 

 catchers which shall gain the wind ; for example, if it is westerly, the 

 bird-catcher who lays his nets most to the east, is sure of the most 

 plentiful sport if his call-birds are good. For this purpose he gene- 

 rally carries five or six linnets, two gold-finches, two green-finches, 

 one wood-lark, one red-poll, and perhaps a bull-finch, a yellow-ham- 

 mer, a tit-lark, and an aberdavine : these are placed at small dis- 

 tances from the nets in little cages. He has besides what he calls hia 

 flur-birds, which are placed upon a moveable perch, which the bird- 

 catcher can raise at pleasure by means of a string ; and these he al- 

 ways lifts gently up and down as the wild bird approaches. But this 

 is not enough to allure the wild bird down ; it must be called by one 

 of the call-birds in the cages ; and these, by being made to moult pre- 

 maturely in a warm cage, call louder and better than those that am 

 wild and at freedom. There even appears a malicious joy in these 

 call-birds to bring the wild ones into the same state of captivity, while 

 at the same time their call is louder, and their plumage brighter than 

 in a state of nature. Nor is their sight or hearing less exquisite, far 

 exceeding that of the bird-catcher ; for the instant the wild birds are 

 perceived, notice is given by one to the rest of the call-birds, who all 

 unite in the same tumultuous ecstacy of pleasure. The call-birds do 

 not sing upon those occasions as a bird does in a chamber, but incite 

 the wild ones by short jerks, which, when the birds are good, may be 

 heard at a great distance. The allurement of this call is so great, 

 that the wild bird hearing it, is stopped in its most rapid flight; and, 

 if not already acquainted with- the nets, lights boldly within twenty 

 yards perhaps of the bird-catcher, and on a spot which it would other- 

 wise have quite disregarded. This is the opportunity wished for, and 

 the bird-catcher pulling a string, the nets on each side rise in an in- 

 stant, and clap directly down on the poor little unsuspecting visitant. 

 Nay, it frequently happens that if half a flock only are caught, the re- 

 maining half will immediately afterwards light between the nets, and 

 share the fate of their companions. Should only one bird escape, this 

 unhappy survivor will also venture into danger till it is caught ; such 

 a fascinating power have the call-birds. 



Indeed, it is not easy to account for the nature of this call whether 

 it be a challenge to combat, an invitation to food, or a prelude to 

 VMnrtship. As the call-birds are all males, and as the wild birds that 

 attend to their voice are most frequently males also, it does not seem 

 that love can have any influence in their assiduity. Perhaps the wild 

 females, in these flights, attend to and and obey the call below, and 



