HISTORICAL 63 



almost universally followed by country 

 gentlemen. 



In the old game licences to qualify 

 for the possession of which landed property 

 of a fixed value or the rank at least of 

 esquire was necessary besides the more 

 legitimate means of bows, guns, and hawks, 

 we find frequent mention of " setting dogs 

 and lurchers, hays, nets, lowbels, snares, 

 or other engines to take game." The 

 birds were either driven into a fixed net, 

 or else found by dogs trained to lie down 

 when near to game and allow the net to 

 be drawn over them so that both dog and 

 birds were entangled in the toils. 



By the middle of the eighteenth cen- 

 tury the old flint and steel locks had been 

 greatly improved, and were better adapted 

 for the purposes of sport. Shooting be- 

 came more popular, and netting was no 

 longer considered fit sport for gentlemen. 

 The reign of George III. saw a marked 

 advance in all the material of shooting ; 

 double barrels now came into use, the per- 

 cussion cap and the patent breech were 



