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Book I. 0<%n£lT HOL r -°^T' ~~~Vi 



if for the Morning, at ieaft two' hours before day [ obferve the fame times in going 

 to prick down Lime-rods, ] and prick them down a little flaming, fo as they may be 

 within a foot and half of the ground at the uttermoft, in even tows all over the 

 place of haunt, one row diftant from another a yard or two, and one (tick from the 

 next in the fame row four or five yards. Then lay the limed firings on the forks fome 

 rows higher than others, like waves. Faften the ends with a flipping loop, fo that 

 upon any violent ftrain the limed ftring may loofen and lap about any thing that 

 toucheth it. And fo you fhall take a great number of Plover or other Fowl that fly 

 in a broad fquadron, and fwoop clofe by the ground a good diftance before they 

 light. 



In like manner you may take whole^footed Water-fowl, liming your firings with 

 ftrong and water-tried Lime, placing the firings over the Water as you did over the 

 Land, only making your forked' flicks fo much the longer, obferving never to lay 

 them in the Moon-Chine, but either in dark nights, or fnady places. They may be 

 placed either fo near the water as almoft to touch it, 1 or higher, not exceeding a foot 

 and half. Thefe birds, though many times they fly in Angle files, yet when they come 

 down, fpread themfelvesfo, as to alightiallas it were together upon the water : And 

 .fo by this Artifice they may be taken many together. 

 u ■ i - i • 



§. II. 

 * 



1 How to take Water-fowl with Litne-twigL 



YOumufl provide goodflore of rods } the beft are (mall, long, flreight twigs of 

 Willow, cut of even length, lefs for fmall fowl, and greater for greater, yet 

 all fb light and flender, as to be apt to play and wind about any thing. The length 

 muft be fuited to the place where they ^are to be ufed. Smear above half their upper 

 ends with Birdlime, and holding them to the fire make the Bird-lime melt and run up- 

 on them, that the Rod may not be difcerned from the Lime. 



Thenatthetimes before directed go to the haunts: And firft in the very middle 

 of the place pin down for a flale a live-fowl of the fame kind you lay for, yet fo that 

 fhe may have liberty of wing to flutter up and down at pleafure. Round the Stale 

 everyway, all the place over, prick ^own your Lime-rods in rows, at about afoot 

 diftance from each other, aflope, with their points bending to the wind, orcrofs- 

 wife, one to the wind, and one againfl it alternately, their tops being a foot from 

 the ground or better. This done, place a Stale or two more aloof from the Lime- 

 rods } and having found a fit place for your felf to lie conceafdin 5 with a fmall, long 

 ftring faftned to each Stale, and running along the ground to you, when you fee or 

 hear any Fowl coming, ftir the Stales, and make them flutter : and upon fight of 

 them the Fowl will presently ftrike and fwoop in among them, and fo be entangled by 

 the Rods. 



You muft have a well-taught Water-Spaniel to find and fetch fuch as flutter away 

 and hidethemfelves. 



Whole-footed Water-fowl may in like manner be taken with rods fmeared over 

 with ftrong Water-lime, which no moifture or froft can injure. Prick thefe Rods in 

 the water, the limed part being above water, [and amongft them flake down here 

 and there a Stale,] all over any Fen or wadeable River, and alfo upon the dry banks 

 and borders furrounding fuch Waters, fb thick that a Fowl may not Creep between 

 them, fixing alfb a Stale or two there. 



You need not wait continually on your Rods, only come firft early in the Morn* 

 ing, fecondly at Noon, thirdly, late at Night, alway attended with your Span ieli 

 and take what you find : If any of your Rods be miffing, employ your Spaniel for 

 finding out the Fowl that carried them away, whether fluttered into the River, or 

 crept into any holes of the Bank,Rufhes, Sedge, or other Covert. 



When your fport begins to decay, and the Game leaves the haunt, immediately 

 find out a new haunt that is untroubled, and do as before directed 3 and after about a 

 months reft the firft haunt will become as good as before. 



For Wild-goofe or Bernaclefet of yourgreateft Rods upon green Winter corp, 

 either Wheat or Rie, but efpecially Wheat, on which this fort of Fowl feed moft 

 earneftly. [The browneft Rods, and neareft the colour of the earth are beft ] Set 

 your Rods efpecially about and in the middle of the water-furrows. Thefe are very 

 fhie Fowl, and therefore you muft ftand at a good diftance upon feme knob or higher 



ground $ 



