84 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



ground to keep it extended, and it then finishes off 

 like a tail the whole pipe. 



When the scared fowl have forced their way into 

 this tunnel-net, or tailpiece, the fowler unhooks it 

 at the spot where it joins the fixed pipe, holds it 

 together near its open end between his knees, 

 or draws a running noose round it behind the 

 struggling birds, then takes out his captives one by 

 one. This end of the pipe, in fact all the way from 

 the curve, must be well concealed from the decoy 

 pool. It should twist into shrubs and underwood, 

 so that the terrified captives cannot possibly be 

 viewed, or their cries too plainly heard by the 

 denizens of the pool. The tunnel-net must for 

 this reason be dragged some little distance ere the 

 work of strangulation commences. 



The longer and larger a decoy-pipe is, in reason, 

 the more open and unsuspicious will it appear ; but 

 60 to 70 yards, measured outside the curve, will be 

 found amply sufficient. 



A nicely-planned pipe looks to fowl paddling up 

 it as though they could swim or fly right through 

 and pass out at the end, and in case of alarm they 

 at once endeavour to do so, rather than face a 

 palpable danger in their rear the fowler at the 

 entrance. 



The ends of the hoops over which the net is 

 stretched drop into sunken posts, with deep holes 

 bored to receive them on either bank of the ditch. 

 These hoops should be of galvanized iron, and as 

 far from one another as will suffice to stretch the net ; 

 if close, they look heavy when viewed collectively ; 

 if too far apart, they will not sufficiently extend the 



