32 B1ED LIFE IN ENGLAND. 



approaches and grows into a black spiral column, which at last 

 almost darkens the air and deafens the ears with the chirping* 

 of its innumerable host of birds. After a few spiral turns 

 they suddenly perch in a body on the trees and reeds, which 

 appear laden with leaves and fruit, and bend under their 

 weight. The fowlers mark the spot where they settle, and 

 then set up an immense curtain of nets on poles in an advan- 

 tageous position, and so contrived that they shall fall when 

 a cord is pulled. This done, they leave the chattering throng 

 to settle down into their roosting-places, while they them- 

 selves go home to supper. At midnight, however, they 

 return, and posting themselves round the roosting-place of 

 the birds, suddenly raise a tremendous shout, and with long- 

 sticks and stones drive the frightened birds towards the net. 

 The whole flock rises en masse and makes for the net, which, as 

 soon as they beat against it, is pulled down, and the whole 

 flock enclosed. They are left to be strangled in the meshes 

 or drowned in the marsh till daylight, when the fowlers again 

 return, to take them out and dexterously twist the necks of 

 those which are not dead already. Sometimes as many as 

 ten thousand are caught at one fall of the net, but not more 

 than five or six thousand are taken, the others being allowed 

 to escape, for fear of glutting the market. They are taken 

 to Strasbourg and sold at the rate of 3d. to 4td. per dozen. 



There can be little doubt that though this may be a good 

 speculation for those immediately concerned, it is a ruinously 

 bad one for the Rhine lands at large. " Perhaps there is no- 

 bird that does so much good to the husbandman as the star- 

 ling," says Swaysland. He is the terror of every sort of 

 grass .or corn devouring grub and pupa. The inquisitor of 

 the meadows, he believes in summary jurisdiction, and the 

 wireworm or grub hauled into his presence must expect very 

 little mercy from that beak. Sometimes they come to be 

 regarded as a nuisance, or available ingredients for a pie in 

 our own southern shires A correspondent writes: "As 

 owner of a larch plantation of over one hundred acres in 



