OLD-WORLD FOWLING 67 



about, ' dc fagon que les faisans, en trouvant la une 

 plus grande quantity, s'appellent les uns les autres, at 

 se prennent ou par le cou ou par les pattes.' 



Another plan described by this writer is to find 

 out where the pheasants are in the habit of drinking, 

 which being ascertained, the poacher fixes snares in 

 the tracks which the birdg follow to the water. To 

 satisfy oneself and spare useless labour it is best to 

 employ the following precaution : If you find what 

 you suppose to be the tracks of a pheasant leading 

 to the water, you should disturb the soil, and render 

 it loose. If the pheasant is in the habit of using it, 

 he will leave the fresh imprints of his toes in the soft 

 soil upon the occasion of his next visit. If he gives 

 you this palpable proof of his passing that way, the 

 next thing to do is to place snares or a net to inter- 

 cept his passage. 



Savi states that the Tuscan peasants used to set 

 snares for pheasants in a variety of places. Some- 

 times they fixed them in the ditches which these birds 

 were observed to frequent ; sometimes they arranged 

 them round the birds' watering places, or set them 

 out in the stubble fields ; they were equally adept at 

 hanging snares in the runs which the birds made in 

 bushy places. 



English poachers have informed me that they set 



