302 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



one or other of the following methods for ridding their 

 game-coverts of these and certain other egg-stealing 

 birds. One plan is to lure the crows within gun-range 

 by placing carrion in the form of a dead sheep, a hare, 

 or what not, in some position whence it may be covered 

 by a well-concealed gunner. Failing a secure ambush, 

 the bait may have traps concealed around it. 



Another plan sometimes answering well in other situ- 

 ations where the gun may be employed is the tethering 

 of a cat, or a ferret, in some fairly conspicuous position 

 where the concealed shooter has full chance to secure a 

 shot either as the crows swoop down at the lure, or as 

 they sit and pour out their wrath in horse croakings 

 from the topmost boughs of some tree close at hand. 

 Some gamekeepers use the device of baiting a trap with 

 eggs ; but perhaps the most deadly method of all, and 

 one that at all times must be resorted to with utmost 

 circumspection, is the placing of poisoned eggs usually 

 impregnated with 5 grs. or so of strychnine in some safe 

 and elevated position, such, for example, as the fork of a 

 tree, in the haunt of the crow. 



A last resource for dealing death to the crow is the 

 shooting of both old birds as they come to or leave the 

 nest ; or on failing to secure both by these means, which, 

 by the way, will be more than probable, to at least secure 

 one by blowing up bird, eggs and nest when the process 

 of incubation is well advanced. It must be borne in mind 

 when attempting this that crows' nests are massively 

 built of strong sticks, and unless a close-shooting gun 

 with large shot, or a wire-cartridge is used, the sitting 

 bird may escape unharmed. This remark applies with 

 almost equal force to the nests of magpie and sparrow- 

 hawk, the former invariably a solid structure, the latter 



