BIRD-LIME. l6l 



" Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her, 

 And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, 

 That she will light to listen to their lays, 

 And never mount to trouble you again." 



Henry VI. Part II. Act i. Sc. 3. 



And the Duchess of Gloucester, addressing her husband, 

 warns him that 



" York and impious Beaufort, that false priest, 

 Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings, 

 And, fly thou how thou cans't, they '11 tangle thee." 



Henry VI. Part II. Act ii. Sc. 4. 



Further allusions to the use of birdlime will be found 

 in Othello (Act ii. Sc. i), and Twelfth Night (Act iii. Sc. 4). 



Now-ardays the practice is to set up a stuffed bird of 

 the species required against a tree by means of a wire, 

 and surround it with three or four other wires well 

 smeared with birdlime, placing a live call-bird in a 

 small dark cage at the foot of the tree to attract the 

 attention of the wild birds. These latter, on hearing the 

 notes of the captive, fly towards the spot, and deceived by 

 the appearance of the stuffed specimen, perch close to it 

 upon a limed wire and are caught, the owner of the snare 

 generally coming out of ambush to take them before they 

 have time to free themselves. 



A simple and effective bird-trap was made as follows : 



Y 



