24 SHEC AERIE'S METHOD OF 



proceed through the different covers, they use calls 

 for such birds as generally resort there, which, 

 from constant practice, is well known to them, and 

 if any birds answer their call, they prepare accord- 

 ingly for catching them : supposing it to be a bevy 

 of quail, they continue calling them, until they 

 get quite close ; they then arm the top of their rod 

 with a feather smeared with bird-lime, and pass it 

 through the loop-hole in their frame of ambush, 

 and to which they continue adding other parts, 

 until they have five or six out, which they use with 

 great dexterity, and touch one of the quail with 

 the feather which adheres to them; they then 

 withdraw the rod, arm it again, and touch three 

 or four more in the same manner before they 

 attempt to secure any of them. 



In this way they catch all sorts of small birds, 

 not much larger than quail, on the ground and in 

 trees. If a brown or black partridge answers their 

 call, instead of bird-lime, they fasten a horse-hair 

 noose to the top of their rod, and when they are 

 close to the birds, they keep dipping the top of 

 their rod with considerable skill until they fasten 

 the noose on one of their necks ; they then draw 

 him in, and go on catching others in the same way. 

 It is surprising to see with what cool perseverance 



