BIRD CATCHING. 25 



the northern birds on their return from the southern countries 

 to their own. It is the best time for observing the different 

 sexes of these birds, for the males always arrive some days, or 

 even a whole week, sooner than the females ; hence it happens 

 that at first the bird catchers take only the former, while the 

 latter are caught afterwards. March and April are the best 

 months for this sport, which should always be made in the 

 morning from the break of day till nine o'clock, as afterwards 

 the birds are too much engaged seeking their food to listen to 

 the call of the decoy birds. 



As most of the house birds of the first class, are caught in 

 the net, I shall describe the simple manner in which it is done 

 in Thuringia. Some rather strong branches of oak and beech 

 are chosen with their leaves on ; about the space of a foot is 

 cleared of leaves, a foot and a half from the top of the branches, 

 and in this space notches are made for fixing lime twigs : the 

 bush, when thus prepared, must be placed on an eminence in 

 the most frequented part of the birds' path, for birds of 

 passage have fixed roads which they always follow, and in 

 which numbers may be seen, whilst about four hundred paces 

 distant not one can be met with. These tracks generally 

 follow the mountains which border on valleys. It is on these 

 mountains then that the decoy bush must be placed ; it must 

 then be garnished with lime twigs, placed in an inclined 

 position, and beneath on the ground must be put the decoy 

 birds, covering their cages with branches of fir or any other 

 tree, so that the birds cannot see one another, as that would 

 prevent the birds of passage from stopping, and the others 

 from calling. 



Decoy birds taken wild are preferred to those reared from 

 the nest, for these never know the call note well, or at least 

 do not repeat it often enough, 



One of the best modes of catching is by what is called the 

 water-trap ; all kinds of birds may be caught by it, and there 

 is always a choice. This sport is very agreeable in the hot 

 summer days, for you have only to sit quietly under the thick 

 shade of the foliage by the side of a running stream. A net 

 of three, four, or six feet long, and three or four wide, accord- 

 ing to the size of the place, must be spread over a trench made 

 on purpose to receive the water. Some sticks of about an 

 inch thick must be put into the trench level with the water. 



