390 ARTIFICIAL ISLAND FOR CURLEWS, &C. 



appears to stand well, go and cut off your stakes, level 

 with the island ; as they might, otherwise, wholly alarm 

 the birds, or partly protect them from your shot. Let 

 your island be completed a few weeks before the 

 autumnal passage of the birds; and I'll warrant that 

 the first heavy gale and spring tide will drive to it 

 some home-bred oxbirds, if not curlews. These, pro- 

 vided they are not driven away, by some premature tyro 

 of a gunner, will bring down the birds of passage which 

 migrate to the coast ; so that, with the first good tide, 

 and very high wind, you may expect to see not one 

 particle of your island but only the rug, or carpet, as 

 it were, which is formed by the innumerable birds that 

 cover it. 



