242 HILLSIDE, ROCK, AND DALE 



of the metropolitan area, without check, we may 

 soon altogether miss many birds which are a chief 

 attraction of our lanes and woo'ds. 



During the 

 nesting season, 

 when all birds 

 should be pro- 

 tected, it is not 

 an uncommon 

 thing to see 

 small gangs of 

 men catching 

 them by means 

 of trap-cages. 

 Dozens of sing- 

 ing birds, even 

 including night- 

 ingales,are taken 

 back to London 



? * :: ': e 



tA ^ when these men 



T^jtggL^g return from their 

 ft" ^^ "il^^^^S day in the fields. 



SWANS AND CYGNETS The OttCC COn- 



ventional bird- 

 catcher, with his large clap-net, who a few years 

 ago was so often seen in the London suburbs, is now 

 no more. The last man who set his clap-net in .these 

 parts was watched by the police and caught, and 



