70 BLACK-HEADED GTJLL. 



were still so disturbed that they bred not at all that year. 

 The' next year after they went to Aqualat, to another gentle- 

 man's estate of the same family, (where though tempted to 

 stay with all the care imaginable,) yet continued there but 

 two years, and then returned again to another poole of the 

 next heir of John Skrymsher, deceased, called Shebben poole, 

 in the Parish of High Offley, where they continue to this 

 day, and seem to be the propriety, as I may say, (though 

 a wild-fowle,) of the Right Worshipfull Sir Charles Skrymsher, 

 Knight, their present Lord and Master. 



But being of the migratory kind their first appearance is 

 not till about the latter end of February, and then in number 

 scarce above six, which come, as it were, as harbingers to the 

 rest, to see whether the hafts or islands in the pooles, (upon 

 which they build their nests,) be prepared for them, but these 

 never so much as lighten, but fly over the poole, scarce staying 

 an hour; about the sixth of March following there comes a 

 pretty considerable flight, of a hundred or more, and then they 

 alight on the hafts, and stay all day, but are gone again at 

 night. About our Lady day or sooner, in a forward spring, 

 they come to stay for good, otherwise not till the beginning 

 of April, when they build their nests, which they make not 

 of sticks, but of leaves and rushes, making them but shallow, 

 and laying generally but four eggs, three and five more 

 rarely, which are about the bigness of a small hen's egg. 



The hafts or islands are prepared for them between Michlemas 

 and Christmas, by cutting down the reeds and rushes, and 

 pulling them aside in the nooks and corners of the hafts, and 

 in the valleys, to make them level, for should they be permitted 

 to rot on the islands the Pewits would not endure them. 

 After three weeks' sitting the young ones are hatched, and 

 about a month after are ready to five, which usually happens 

 on the third of June, when the proprietor of the poole orders 

 them to be driven and catch'd, the Gentry comeing in from 

 all parts to see the sport; the manner thus, they pitch a 

 rabbit-net on the bank side, in the most convenient place over 

 against the hafts, the net in the middle being about ten yards 

 from the side, but close at the ends in the manner of a bow; 

 then six or seven men wade into the poole beyond the Pewits 

 over against the net, with long staves, and drive them from 

 the hafts, whence they all swim to the bank side, and landing, 

 run like Lapwings into the net, where people standing ready, 

 take them up and put them into two penns made within the 



