3 x -^ rt< < , IT HO LOg T. Book I. 



ground 5 and when by fluttering of the Fowl touch'd, andfudden riling of the reft 

 y©u perceive any are taken, make in and take them up 3 and if any half limed be flit- 

 ting away, let your Dog fetch them. 



It will not be amifs, if when you have placed your Rods, you beat the Fowl off 

 from all other haunts, which will make them come the fooner to that where your Rods 

 are placed. 



* out of the *Hov> to take Snipes with Water-Bird-lime. 



EpicofHuf- 



Take two or three hundred Birch-twigs, and lime forty or fifty of them together 

 very well : Then finding out the haunt of 'Stripes, which you fhall perceive by their 

 Dung, and in very hard weather where the water lies open they will lie very thick. 

 Then obferving the place where they raoft feed, let two or three hundred of your 

 twigs at a yard diftance, and floping fbmeoneway, fome another. Retire two or 

 three hundred paces from the place, and you fhall find, that there fhall not one Snipe 

 in ten mifs your twigs, by reafbn they fpread their wings, and fetch a round clofe to 

 the ground before they alight. When you fee any taken, ftir not at firft, for he will 

 feed with the twigs under his wings, and as others come over the place he will be a 

 caufe to entice them. But when you fee the coaft clear, and but few that be not taken, 

 go and take up your Birds, and faften one or two, that the other flying over may come 

 to the fame place. If there be any other open places there by, put them off thofe 

 haunts. They will lie where it is open and a Spring very much 5 for they can feed in 

 no hard place by reafon of their Bills. In a Snow you (hall have them extraordinary 

 thick, upon fuch a place. 



Chap. Ml. 

 How to take Water-fowl with Springes and, Snares, 



[Aving found the haunts where thefe fowl do ufually feed, and noted well the 

 furrows and water-tracks where they commonly. (talk and paddle to find 

 worms, flote-grafs, roots and other fuch like things on which they feed, you 

 fhall mark where many furrows meet in one, and break out as it were in one narrow 

 ftream or paflage, andfo defcending afterwards divide into other parts and branches, 

 this middle part or core being the deeped, and as it were feeding the reft 5 thenno- 

 ting how every furrow breaketh and cometh in this Center or little Pit, you fhall 

 mark which is moft padled with the Fowl : which found out and noted 3 you fhall 

 acrofsall the other paiTages make as it were a Fence of fmall fhortfticks prickt down 

 into the ground, at half an Inch diftance, ftanding about an handful or fomewhat 

 more above water. The Fowl ( fuch is their nature) will not prefs over thefe Fences, 

 but ftray about till they find the open way, wherein they will run up f wiftly, pad- 

 ling up and down for their vi&uals. This done, take a good ftiff flick, cut flat on one 

 fide, and prick both ends down into the water or earth on one fide the track, the 

 bow running parallel to, andnotcroffing the track. Then you (hall make a bow of 

 fmall Hazle or Willow in thefafhion of a Pear, [ rather narrower] the one end run- 

 ning out as it were in a foot-ftalk, longer or fhorter, greater or fmaller, according 

 to the bignefs of the Fowl you fet for, This is to anfwer the bridge in a Moufe-trap, 

 and therefore we will call it the Bridge. Then take a good ftiff young Plant of Ha- 

 zel or Elm, rufhy grown, and clean without knot, and having made the bottom end 

 (harp, at the top you fhall faften a very ftrong Loop or Swickelof horfe-hair. [ This 

 Loop is alio to be made greater or lefler, of more or fewer horfe-hairs, according 

 to the bignefs of the birds you fet for ] tied very faft together with ftrong Pack- 

 thread, and madefo fmoothand yare that it will flip and run at pleafure. Hard by 

 this Loop orSwickel fhall there alfo be faftned, within an Inch and half of the end 

 of the Plant a little broad thin Tricker, fuch as they ufe to fet up Moufe-traps 

 with. 



Thefe things thus prepared, take your Loop of Hazel or Withy made Pear-wife, 

 and laying it crqfsthe track, hang the bowed end of it on a little Peg or Hook driven 

 down into the ground on one fide the track, the other end orftalkof itmuft be put 

 underneath the bout of the firft-mentioned bowed ftick, and near the end of the 



ftalk 



