THE SLAUGHTER OF VERMIN. 329 



together, let fly into the middle of the lot. 

 Down they come at the foot of the tree, and 

 now don't show yourself, but slip another 

 charge into the gun, for the rest will not leave 

 if they don't see you. Very soon they will 

 come and have another try to wake up the cat, 

 and so you get another shot, and kill two or 

 three more. In shooting them you are safe to 

 shoot the mother magpie, for she is sure to be 

 prominent in the company. 



If you cannot climb up to the nest, tie the 

 cat to a pole, so as to look as if she were 

 crawling up, climb up the tree as high as you 

 can, and tie the pole to the highest branch you 

 can reach. When the magpie comes to her 

 nest she will see the cat climbing the tree, as 

 she thinks, and the same proceedings will 

 ensue as in the case of the cat coiled up in the 

 nest. A crow's or jay's nest answers the 

 purpose equally well. 



When decoying with a live cat it is necessary 

 to choose special localities ; the best place is a 

 gravel or chalk pit, with trees in it for the 

 flying vermin to alight on. Peg a live cat 



