PLOVER-NETTING. 191 



by leaving the string loose, appear to settle. The 

 wild birds are pretty sure to see him ; will wheel 

 round a few times, and finally head up against the 

 wind to the cluster of dead decoys. Flying or 

 sitting, once they appear between these and within 

 say eight feet of the ground, pull hard, and you 

 should have enough for a pie, and a big one too. 



How is this effected ? Thus : On the fowler 

 pulling his rope at C, that instant the pole ends at 

 E and F press against the catch-pegs (G, fig. 6), 

 freeing them from the notches of the long pegs (E), 

 and setting the rope at liberty. The poles being 

 somewhat bent, and the rope being long, elastic, 

 and greatly stretched, both fly upwards. The 

 poles retain the rope in their notches till they are 

 upright (for their other ends press hard all the time 

 against the shoe-pegs, fig. 3, D D) ; they are then 

 hurled far away. The rope, taking the net with 

 it, in a second attains its original position, as it was 

 before pulled out of line, that is from A to B (fig. 2). 



The folds of the net partly come out in transit as 

 it stretches over the birds, and as it appears in 

 fig. 2. Were it set extended to its full width it 

 would come as a wall against the birds, knocking 

 them clear, and failing to hold them. Falling 

 loosely its effect is perfect. To assist this looseness 

 a net should be made to bag a little all over, and to 

 within a yard or so of its edges. Were it made 

 flat it would never hold a bird. A new net, or one 

 bleached in the sun, should be coloured a light 

 brown, or barked. 



The fowlers are very particular in this respect, 

 and now and then give their nets an accurate stain 



