COVERT-SHOOTING 281 



Next I tried a row of ' lifters ' in front of the 

 guns — futile again. 



Finally I have had a dozen 40-feet poles put 

 up between the guns and the wood. They are 



joined up by three strands of wire, the whole top 

 being covered with fir branches, to try and re- 

 present a row of trees. I am glad to say that this 

 has answered the purpose. The only trouble has 



been to know whether it is safe to put the wires 

 up before the birds have been run into the stop, 

 trusting them to run under the lowest strand of 

 wire, which is 25 feet above the ground. So far 

 we have not dared to ask them to face this extra- 

 ordinary erection on their way up to the stop, for 



