THE ITALIAN BIRD NET IN NEW JERSEY 



MANY ways and means are in operation for the taking 

 of song birds for food without making a noise about 

 it and attracting attention. 



In "Our Vanishing Wild Life" (Scribner's Sons), we de- 

 voted a chapter to the Italian roccolo and its deadly in- 

 visible net. Now that silk net has appeared in the United 

 States. On March 29, 1918, Mr. William C. Klein, Federal 

 and State Game Warden in New Jersey, described to us 

 in the following letter the capture of an Italian bird netter 

 while in the act of operating three large silk nets in the 

 capture of song birds. The report is as follows : 



"I take pleasure in reporting to you the arrest by me 

 on September 5, 1917, at the City of Clifton, N. J., of 

 Martin Pinetti of Paterson, N. J., for capturing 25 chipping 

 sparrows by the use of silk nets. 



"This man had six nets in his possession, three of which 

 were in use at the time I arrested him. He states it takes 

 thirty-five days to make one net and the value of each net 

 is $30. 



"He further states that he sells trapped song birds for 

 3c apiece and that on some days he makes as high as $17 

 in this way. 



"The accompanying photograph shows three nets in oper- 

 ation at the time of the arrest, which picture I took after 

 I had him handcuffed, and before I took the nets down. 



"The other photograph shows his complete outfit, con- 

 sisting of a long bag for carrying the net poles, a leather 

 satchel for the nets and birds, and also a vicious looking 

 knife, which is 15 inches long over all. 



