68 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PHEASANT 



their snares for pheasants in the runs which these 

 birds make in the hedgerows, or near a stack yard 

 which the creatures visit. They do not use horse- 

 hair, preferring to trust to a single or double strand of 

 fine copper wire. 



The third of M. Audot's methods of poaching 

 pheasants is to capture them in nets. The most im- 

 portant of these is the hallier, a big triple net, the 

 central portion being known as the nappe or toile, in 

 contrast to the net which hangs on each side, called 

 the aumk. The hallier is suspended between tall 

 poles, which are fixed in the earth at proper intervals. 

 The pochette is a more portable net, in the form of a 

 purse or bag, about three feet in length between the 

 rings, whether intended to catch pheasants or par- 

 tridges ; but for the former bird a mesh of three 

 inches is preferred, whereas that of Xht pochette a per- 

 drix only measures two inches. When the French 

 poacher discovers traces of pheasants in a wood, he 

 sets a very short hallier in their way, allowing the 

 lower end of the net to hang loosely on the ground. 

 But the sport must not be left to chance. If one of 

 these birds happens to be caught in the net, he makes 

 an outcry, and alarms any other pheasants that may 

 happen to be in the vicinity. The poacher therefore 

 takes care to remain in the vicinity of his net, with 



