THE USE OF THE DRAG-NET 249 



much used during the day-time, when the birds are 

 very easily taken by two men drawing the net down to 

 the covey over the 'set.' The two men keep some 

 distance apart, so as to allow the birds to fly into the 

 net if they do rise. This latter is, however, not often 

 the case ; for, as a rule, the birds lie well, from the 

 very fact of being somewhat bewildered by reason of 

 being, so to speak, between three fires — viz., the dog 

 setting them, and the two men wide apart — and they 

 naturally squat close until the men pass them, when, 

 of course, the fine silk or thread net is over them. 

 The number of birds that are taken off well-stocked 

 moors in this manner is simply incredible. The moors 

 generally selected for the purpose are those in the 

 wildest districts, and where there are no watchers put 

 on to help the keepers. These latter individuals, also, 

 are invariably sceptical as to the amount of damage 

 which can be inflicted on a moor with a fine drag-net 

 during the day-time, and with the assistance of a well- 

 trained dog. I have, year after year, seen these 

 ' strangers ' arrive, and have informed the keepers of 

 the fact ; but they have only laughed at me in their 

 ignorance, and replied : ' Birds won't lie for anyone in 

 the day-time.' I only wish that the remark had 

 been true. The first information I ever received on 

 the subject was from an undoubted source — a shepherd 

 who at one time had been himself in the habit of 

 helping to draw the nets, and who used to be well paid 

 for the assistance he was able to afford in knowing 

 where the packs lay. The nets, as a rule, belong to 

 men who come from the South, and work for the game- 

 dealers in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, London, 

 etc. They begin to arrive towards the end of July 



