246 THE GULL. 



" After three weeks' sitting, the young ones are 

 hatch t, and ahout a month after are almost ready 

 to flye, which usually happens on the third of June, 

 when the proprietor of the poole orders them to he 

 driven and catch'd, the gentry comeing in from all 

 parts to see the sport; the manner thus. They 

 pitch a rahhit-net on the banke side, in the most con- 

 venient 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 bow 

 of the net, which are built round, about three yards 

 diameter, and a yard high or somewhat better, with 

 small stakes driven into the ground in a circle, and 

 interwoven with broom and other raddles ; in which 

 manner there have been taken of them in one morn- 

 ing, fifty dozens at a driving, which, at 5,9. per 

 dozen, (the ancient price for them) comes to 12/. 12^.; 

 but at several drifts that have been anciently made 

 in the same morning, there have been as many 

 taken as have been sold for 30/. So that some 

 years the profit of them has . amounted to fifty or 

 three-score pounds, besides what the generous pro- 

 prietor usually presents his relations, and the no- 

 bility and gentry of the county withall, which he 

 constantly does in a plentiful! manner, sending 

 them to their houses in crates alive, so that feeding 

 them with livers and other entrals of beasts, they 



