188 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



until you get it into the notch at the end of the 

 pole (E D, fig. i), and into which it should sink 

 easily just its own depth (fig. 4). The notch being 

 placed in a line with the rope and ground, it 

 should require a strong pull to put the rope into 

 this notch. When in, hook the rope near the pole 

 end temporarily into the eye of the small peg, G, 

 that is tied to the one, E, sunk as before described. 

 This will hold the pole down and the rope, whilst 

 the other pole and the net are being arranged at 

 leisure. Now move to pole F D, and draw the 

 rope into its notch. This last operation should 

 require your utmost strength to do. If you can 

 pull the rope even six inches beyond the notch at 

 the pole end, it must be made tauter at peg A, and 

 the other pole freed again in order to do this. If a 

 violent strain will not get the rope over the notch, 

 slacken a little at A. Anyhow, it should require great 

 force to get the rope into its place, for the tighter 

 it is here, the quicker and better the net will spring 

 over, and so take the birds. This done, hook the 

 rope safe by means of the eyed peg, G, as was done 

 at the other pole. Now proceed to arrange the net, 

 which is threaded on the rope, and when set, as in 

 fig. i, almost reaches from pole to pole. 



Stretch it out on the ground even and flat with 

 the wind, then draw its base line towards the rope, 

 carefully laying it in thin folds, not on any account 

 in lumps and shadows, till it shows as in fig. i, 

 its base nearly in line with the large shoe-pegs, 

 D D, that the poles now press so hard against. 

 Next cautiously unhook the peg, G, that holds down 

 the rope, and pole end at E, in fig. i, placing it as 



