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considerable force, which stuns or entangles them in its 

 meshes. The net is. quickly drawn to the hunter and the 

 victims secured. A firm, quick pressure under the wings 

 usually causes almost instant death, but to make their cap- 

 ture doubly sure, the wings are crossed on the back which pre- 

 vents flight in case they survive the deadly pressure. Again 

 the net is placed in position ready for a new strike. The 

 escaping birds of the flock invariably dart aside in unison 

 when the strike is made, but they apparently forget all dan- 

 ger by the time they have again completed their circuit, for 

 they repeat the movement time and time again until their 

 diminished numbers make the casting of the net a labor that 

 is practically without result. A new flock is then selected 

 and the work continued until a sufficient number of birds is 

 secured. 



Before the advent of the white man, from whom materials 

 for net making are obtained, a more primitive method was 

 employed, namely, throwing stones, and it is still carried on 

 by the younger generation, with considerable success. Dove- 

 kies display great curiosity, and if the hunter sits quietly in 

 full view, he will soon have an audience of them near him, all 

 bent on occupying one rock, regardless of its size or of their 

 numbers. A compact flock of birds soon results, and a well 

 directed stone thrown into their midst does great execution. 

 Stones may be thrown a number of times at the same flock 

 before they decide to adjourn. I experimented with both 

 methods, but found the latter most successful, as I was either 

 too late or too soon with the net, much to the amusement of 

 the natives. 



On Saunders Island the method of bird catching is not 

 quite the same, as the birds and conditions are different. 

 The net is used, however, to advantage. At this rookery 

 Briinnich's Murre ( Uria lomvia) is the principal species taken, 

 although when a very large supply of birds is needed, Kitti- 

 wake Gulls (Rissa tridaetyla) are also hunted. The rookery 



