NETTING SEA-BIRDS ON THE WASH. 
—_@——_ 
In 1873 I saw nets for the first time at Blakeney for 
catching birds at night on the muds; long, large-meshed 
nets, supported by poles. I had always thought before that 
they were only used in the Wash. Charles Hornigold was 
the first man to use them there, that is to say of recent 
years, and the art has been carried to perfection by 
Mr. F. J. Cresswell of Lynn. One of the best day’s wild 
fowling I ever had was in company with that gentleman on 
the 18th of December, 1862. Well protected with wraps, 
for the cold was intense, I went on board the “ Wild Duck,” 
which is the name of his yacht, and all night we rode at 
anchor in a sea so tempestuous that she lurched like a 
drunken man, in order to be early at the nets in the morn- 
ing; but it was well worth the trouble to see the singular 
spectacle which so many varieties of birds dangling in the 
meshes presented. There is nothing like a pitch-dark, 
blustering night, and the catch was good. 
Woodcock - - - 
Curlew - 
Knot - - - - 
Golden Plover - 
Gray ditto - - - 
Bartailed Godwit - 
Redshank - - 
Oystercatcher - - 
Dunlin - - 
Gulls of different species, including the 
Greater Black-backed - - 
iI 
w 
NS BPN HWWUW He 
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Total 
