154 THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 



retire to the end of the puU-liue and when seated upon 

 camp stool we are ready for business. 



"Now this may all appear too extensive and compli- 

 cated at first for some to attempt, but there are members 

 of every club who have sufficient ingenuity and intuition 

 to construct and use their own nets, which would not 

 only be a gratification of their individual pleasure, but 

 also a source of profit and advantage to the members in 

 general. With these nets, and by following the instruc- 

 tions given, the merest tyro could catch a great many 

 birds in a day — frequently a hundred or more. It should 

 always be borne in mind that the method is not in any 

 way to be considered as a baited trap, but that the prin- 

 ciple involved is to take the bird unawares — to fool it— 

 and that it is easier to fool one than ten. The number 

 caught at the end of the day will depend largely on bag- 

 ging every bird that comes within scope of the nets. 

 Make it a rule to be satisfied with one, if no others are in 

 sight, for after the old adage "a bird in the hand" etc., a 

 Sparrow in the nets is worth seventeen on the fence. 



"As to when and where to go, while there are some 

 given rules for this, still the birds are so quick to take 

 alarm and so communicative, that it is not possible at 

 times to accoimt for all their movements. Their vast 

 numbers and nomadic habits, however, will ofifset this, 

 and by a little study of the habits of the birds, and by a 

 few practical lessons in the shape of successes and fail- 

 ures, it will not be difficult to determine where a good 

 catch can be made." 



Sparrow, Field. — Length, five and two -thirds inches; 

 extent, eight inches; bill, one-third of an inch, reddish 

 fiesh color; above, reddish brown, center of back 

 streaked with black; wing and tail feathers, dark 

 brown, the former edged with reddish biown; the 

 small feathers of the wings are also tipped with white, 

 forming two light bands; rump, grayish brown; below, 

 white, tinged with buff on the breast and sides. 



