CATCHING WOODPIGEONS 131 



The reader is to imagine himself in one of the 

 great woodland tracts above referred to, about 

 mid-autumn, when the Woodpigeons are coming 

 from the north on their migration southward. A 

 hut erected on rising ground faces the north, and 

 outside of it, just in front, the pigeon-catcher, 

 seated on a wooden stool, keeps watch for the 

 arrival of the flocks. Along the vistas which are 

 made on purpose through the surrounding firs and 

 other trees, his view commands the north, as well 

 as the sunrise and sunset, with a horizon sufficiently 

 extensive to admit of his seeing the pigeons on 

 the wing a couple of miles off. To be successful, 

 a pigeon-catcher must have the eye of a hawk to 

 detect the birds before they are over the hut. He 

 must be quick and active enough to get inside in 

 time, and find ready to hand the various cords that 

 work the decoys, the sight of which causes the 

 Wild Pigeons to stop, for they arrive on the scene 

 with astonishing rapidity, pass on like a flash of 

 lightning, and are seen no more, unless they are 

 stopped at once. 



The decoys, of which there are usually ten or a 

 dozen, are live pigeons fixed at various distances on 

 the trees around the selected spot, and tethered by 

 light straps round the legs to a movable perch, 

 which is set in motion by means of a line running 

 to the hut. This causes them, when the cord is 

 pulled, to open and close their wings with all the 

 appearance and noise of a Pigeon about to perch, 

 thus attracting the attention of the wild birds as they 

 approach, and causing them to stop and alight. 



