1 88 THE GAMEKEEPER AT HOME. 



withy as it is usually called, is remarkably pliant, and can 

 be twisted into any shape. Selecting a long slender wand, 

 the poacher strips it of leaves, gives the smaller end a 

 couple of twists, making a noose and running knot of the 

 stick itself The mode of using it is precisely similar to 

 that followed with a wire, but it requires a little more 

 dexterity, because, of course, the wood, flexible as it is, 

 does not draw up so quickly or so closely as the metal, 

 neither does it take so firm a grip. A fish once caught 

 by a wire can be slung about almost anyhow, it holds so 

 tightly. The withy noose must be jerked up the instant 

 it passes under that part of the jack where the weight of 

 the fish is balanced — the centre of gravity ; if there is an 

 error in this respect it should be towards the head, rather 

 than towards the tail. Directly the jack is thrown out 

 upon the sward he must be seized, or he will slip from the 

 noose, and possibly find his way back again into the 

 water. With a wire there is little risk of that ; but then 

 the withy does not cut its way into the fish. 



This trick is often accomplished with the common 

 withy — not that which grows on pollard trees, but in osier- 

 beds ; that on the trees is brittle. But a special kind is 

 sought for the purpose, and for any other requiring ex- 

 treme flexibility. It is, I think, locally called the stone 

 osier, and it does not grow so tall as the common sorts. 

 It will tie like string. Being so short, for poaching fish it 

 has to be fastened to a thicker and longer stick, which is 



