PHEASANTS FROM SHELL TO SHOT 339 



" Speaking of that, there's many ways nowadays to take 

 birds alive, and I've tried 'em, but always gone back to my 

 old plan. Some keepers set up a coop with a stick and a 

 string on the old brick-trap principle, some use a kind of clap 

 nets, and some the round drop hoop, netted over, but I always 

 think nesting when it is brought in contact with the birds 

 does not do them any good. My plan is simple and sure 

 without hurting them. I take some hurdles, well interwoven 

 with heather or straw, and set them about near the regular 

 feed ground, gradually getting them nearer and nearer. First 

 I get one side up, then the 

 other, next put an end on, 

 then the top netted over 

 with loose twine netting. 

 The birds soon get used to 

 it and pay no attention to 

 it whatever, feeding on quite 

 confidently ; and one fine 

 morning when it's full I 

 drop a net across the en- 

 trance, and there they all 

 are, like fow r l in the pocket of a decoy pipe, when I just pick 

 out what I want and let the others go. 



" Having caught them," continued Mr Balls, " they are care- 

 fully taken to the mew ; you must see my mew, sir, it's the 

 outcome of years' experimenting although apparently so very 

 simple. Ah, they've got the two sides of the catcher up. 

 Now, we'll go to the mew. Over this stile, sir, and across the 

 meadows to the Home Wood. ' 



Fifteen minutes later we enter the netted door of the 

 mew. It was a big structure, divided into several compart- 

 ments and very simple. A suitable position in the wood had 

 been selected and posts erected, around which was stretched 

 wire netting forming the sides to the enclosure. Rat-proof 

 netting was added all round to the height of two feet, being 

 interwoven with fir boughs. On the outside more rat-proof 

 netting had been laid flat upon the ground and covered over 



A COVERED WEASEL TRAP. 



