520 



BIRD-CATCHING. 



bird- is thus dragged along the ground at about a yard in 

 '.itching, height. At each cud lights must be carried, and 

 persons stationed with long poles to raise up the 

 "birds as they proceed, and to take them as they as- 

 cend under the nets. Along with the nets and lights, 

 a bell is frequently employed in open countries and 

 stubble fields, from the middle of October to the end 

 of March. At night, when the air is mild, take a low 

 bell of a deep and hollow sound, and of such a 6ize as 

 to be conveniently carried in one hand ; and provide 

 a lantern or a square box, lined with tin, and open 

 at one side, into which two or three large lights are 

 to be placed. Fix the box to the breast, carry the 

 bell in the left hand, and with the right hold a hand- 

 net, about two feet broad and three long ; or the 

 light may be held in the hand, with the arm extend- 

 ed forward, while the bell is tied to the girdle, and 

 hangs down upon the knees, by the motion of which 

 it is made to sound. A companion may walk on 

 each side, provided with a hand-net three or four 

 feet square, but keeping a little behind, that he 

 may not be within the reflection of the light. The 

 sound of the bell makes the birds lie close, while the 

 light also tends to overpower then ; so that the net 

 may easily be spread over them, as they arc seen ly- 

 ing on the ground. Birds are also taken with nets 

 during the day, especially in those seasons of the 

 year when they change their situation ; in the 

 month of October, for instance, when the wild birds 

 begin to fly, and in March when the smaller kinds 

 assemble for pairing. They are chiefly on the wing 

 from day-break to noon, and always fly against the 

 wind. The bird-catchers, therefore, lay their nets 

 towards that point to which the wind blows. The 

 nets employed in this way are generally twelve yards 

 and a half long, and two and a half wide ; and are 

 spread on the ground parallel to each other in such 

 a manner as to meet when turned over. They are 

 provided with lines fastened in such a way, that, by 

 a sudden pull, the bird-catcher is able to draw them 

 over the birds, that may have alighted in the 6pace 

 between those parallel sides. In order to entice 

 the wild birds to alight among the nets, call-birds 

 are employed, of which there must be one or two of 

 each of the different kinds which are expected to be 

 caught, such as linnets, goldfinches, greenfinches, 

 v.oodlarks, red-polls, yellow hammers, titlarks, aber- 

 davines, and bullfinches. Besides the call-birds, 

 there are others denominated Jlur-birds, which are 

 placed upon a moveable perch within the net, called 

 ajlur, and which can be raised or depressed at plea- 

 sure ; and these are secured to the Jlur by means of 

 a brace or bandage of slender 6ilk string fastened 

 round the body of the bird. The call-birds are dis- 

 posed, at proper intervals, in cages, at a little dis- 

 tance from the nets ; and as soon as they see or hear 

 the approach of the wild birds, which they perceive 

 long before it can be observed by the bird-catchers, 

 they announce the intelligence, from cage to cage, 

 with the greatest appearance of joy ; and they pro- 

 ceed to invite them to alight, by a succession of 

 notes, or short jerks, as they are termed by the 

 bird-catchers, which may often be heard at a consi- 

 derable distance. The moment that this call is 

 betad by the wild birds, they stop their flight, and 



1 





with wa- 

 ter. 



descend towards the nets ; and so great is the a- 

 cendancy and fascination of the call-birds, that they 

 can induce the others to return repeatedly to the T 



let.., till every bird in the flock be caught. Night- 

 ingales are taken with small trap-nets, without t 

 aid of call-birds. These nets arc not much larger 

 than a cabbage-net ; are surrounded at the bottom 

 with an iron ring ; and are baited with a meal-worm 

 from the baker's shop. In fine sunny weather, sky- 

 larks are allured within reach of the clap-nets, by 

 means of small bits of looking-glass fixed in a piece 

 of wood in the middle of the nets, and put into a 

 quick whirling motion, by a string in the hand of 

 the bird-catcher. Grouse and partridge may b^ 

 taken in the evening, by observing where they alight, 

 and drawing a net over them ; or, in the day-time, 

 by employing a steady dog to point at them ; and 

 while their attention is fixed upon the animal, a 

 large net, drawn by one person at each end, may ea- 

 sily be passed over them. 



In the first volume of Vaillant's Travels in Africa, 

 is described the following ingenious method of pro- 

 curing birds alive, and without injuring their plu- 

 mage. He put into his fusee a larger or smaller By a fusee 

 quantity of powder, as circumstances required. A- charged 

 bove the powder he placed the end of a candle, ram- 

 ming it well down ; and then filled the barrel with 

 water. With the musket loaded, in this manner he 

 fired at the birds which he wished to procure ; and 

 they were so stunned and wetted by the water, as to 

 be brought to the ground, and easily picked up be- 

 fore they could injure their feathers by struggling, 

 or recover themselves to fly away. 



Jays, blackbirds, and magpies, but particularly By live 

 the former, may be taken in the following ludicrous birds, 

 manner : Take a tame jay into the woods where 

 others of that species are known to resort, lay the 

 bird upon the ground on his back, and, with two 

 pegs, pin down his wings in such a manner, as to 

 keep him fast without hurting him. Retire to your 

 station, and watch the issue. The cries of the jay, 

 while struggling for liberty, will attract all of his 

 own species in the neigbourhood ; and, as they arc 

 fluttering and leaping around him, he will not fail, in 

 his desperation, to 6eize with his bill and claws any- 

 one that may come within his reach, and to hold it 

 fast till you approach to seize the prey. The jays 

 will return repeatedly to the spot ; and thus, with 

 the same bird, many captures may be successively 

 secured. 



In the Orkney Isles, eggs and young birds are col- 

 lected by the inhabitants, in a most daring and hazar- 

 dous manner. They climb up rocky precipices, 

 more than 50 fathoms above the sea, where the 

 shelves or ledges are scarcely broad enough for the 

 birds to rest, or to form their nests ; and, passing 

 from one ledge to another, collect the eggs and 

 birds, and descend again with the greatest ease and 

 indifference. In most cases, however, they make 

 the attempt from above ; and are let down by a 

 rope frequently made of straw or hogs bristles, 

 which are less apt than those made of hemp, to be 

 cut by the sharpness of the rocks. A single assist- 

 ant lets down his companion in this manner, and 

 shifts the rope from place to place, according to the 



