ON BIRD-NETS. 369 



rivers free from any visitation of the tidal w^aters^ although they are mostly 

 more or less covered by the spring tides at all other seasons. The occurrence 

 of these low tides about the time when the numerous sea- and land-birds 

 that frequent these marshes are hatching their eggs there, thus giving them 

 time to perfect that operation without the destructive intervention of the salt 

 water, has caused the country-people to say that ' the tides are lower at that 

 season in order that the birds may hatch ajid raise their young' No doubt the 

 success of the latter operation is secured by the smallness of these tides ; 

 and perhaps an adequate cause for their usual regular occurrence may be 

 found in the almost entire absence of high winds, and a prevalence of calm 

 sultry weather at the annual period of the bird-tides. These small tides are 

 noticeable, we believe, very generally throughout the borders of the 

 estuary." 



With reference to the illustrations, the time to work these sea-nets is 

 not so much when the moon is waxing, but when she wanes, or, at least, in 

 the first and last quarters ; in fact, he who pursues this sport does not 

 "^'delight in a shiny night:" few birds, or none, are caught in moonlight 

 nights. 



This corresponds with the experience of old Thomas Trangmar, the lark- 

 catcher, with a drag-net, whose evidence to me (February 5th, 1875, at 

 1 o'clock P.M.) is so interesting that I must quote it : — 



" I have been a lark-catcher twenty-five years. I am just out of bed. 

 I caught 6i dozen last night. Dark, cloudy, still nights are best ; when 

 cloudy, there is no dew. If their tails are wet, they do not sit well ; and 

 the dew wets them. It is very hard work in rainy times, tremendous ; the 

 net is heavy. I sleep in the day, and start sometimes at three o'clock in the 

 afternoon, and go off from Brighton to Newhaven, perhaps. I have known 

 100 dozen caught after snow. They feed on rape, cabbage, &c. ; and then 

 the poulterers will not have them." 



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