276 WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA. 



out early, in the morning for the Downs with the 

 prospect of a capital day for our purpose before us. 

 The first man we fell in with was catching 

 Starlings on a piece of bare pasture land, and ex- 

 plained that such a pitch was the most favourable 

 for his kind of sport. The presence of grazing 

 Horses, Cows, or Sheep, although these were liable 

 to walk on to his nets, he considered a great 



CLAP-NETS AND DUMMY STARLINGS. 



advantage, as Starlings when feeding are partial 

 to the neighbourhood of live stock. 



The nets used for catching Starlings, Larks, and 

 Linnets are larger than those employed for securing 

 Goldfinches or Bullfinches, and measure as much as 

 sixty-six feet in length by six feet three inches in 

 width. Attached to each end of the nets is a green- 

 painted stave, which is secured on its inner end to 

 a peg firmly driven into the ground. The fastening 

 between the peg and the stave is such as to form 

 an easy hinge. The pull-line is so disposed that it 

 acts upon the outer ends of the stave-poles directly 



