PLOVER NETTING. 



195 



of a field, perhaps a foot or two only above the land 

 around, is an admirable vantage ground. Under 

 any circumstances the net should be set so that the 

 wind blows accurately between the poles, in order 

 that the net may always fall exactly with the wind. 

 Should the wind change even slightly, the net must 

 be reset. A slanting breeze, or one a little to this 

 side or that, and the net will fail to fall or take birds 

 as it should. A few bits of grass thrown into the 

 air before commencing will indicate " the eye of 

 the wind." 



In a light breeze the movements of Plover are 

 not so favourable to the fowler as in a moderate or 

 strong one. In the latter case they fly low and 

 wedged together, in the former high and scattered. 

 They always head the wind and face with the 

 decoys when flying up to, or pitching among, them. 

 This is, therefore, another and important reason 

 why the net should fall downwind, or against the 

 birds meeting it, as it sweeps over. The decoys 

 must at all times be placed head to wind. If a net 

 be properly fixed, it will instantly, when freed by 

 the fowler, fly over the birds, scarcely giving time 

 to those on the ground to open their wings. The 

 usual plan is to pull the net at the moment the wild 

 birds are flying over the dead decoys ; and Plover 

 are more frequently taken in the air than on the 

 ground. 



It requires some practice, and a quick eye and 

 hand, to allow the thin part of a stand to pass by, 

 and to snap up the thickest cluster as it reaches 

 the fatal spot, i.e., between and over the decoys, 

 and within some eight feet of the ground. If the 



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