32 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



by two-and-a-lialf yards wide, and are made with a tliree-qnarter 

 mesli of wliat is teclinically called two-thread. The staves 

 at each end, to which the nets are permanently attached, 

 are made of red deal, ferruled and jointed at the middle, in 

 the manner of a fishing rod, for the convenience of carriage. 

 The length of each when put together is about five feet six 

 inches, being thus shorter than the width of the net. This, 

 it will be readily observed, allows for the bagging of the net 

 — an important particular, as, if the nets were strained tight 

 with no allowance made for bagging, the birds would flutter 

 along the ground until they got out at one end or the other. 

 As it is, they roll themselves up in the meshes, and effectually 

 entangle themselves while attempting to escape. 



A strong line, called the top line, made of clock line, passes 

 the whole length of each net, and is protracted some feet past 

 the staves at either end. A similar line runs along the bottom 

 made of three-thread or whip thread. This is called the bottom 

 line. There are then two rmattached cords of some strength, 

 called the pull line and the forked line, which latter is attached, 

 when required for use, to the two staves nearest the birdcatcher, 

 at the intersection of the top line. 



Eight pegs are used, made of hard wood, generally ash, four 

 of which are called the "chief pegs." The whole of the pegs 

 are notched, for the convenience of attaching a line. 



The method of laying the clap-net is best described with 

 the aid of a drawing {vide Fig. 5). 



The first thing to be done is to lay down the right-hand 

 net, and to drive in the two chief pegs where shown, namely, 

 at the bottom, of the staves, to which they are attached by 

 a loop of strong cord, acting as a hinge. The two end pegs 

 are then driven in the ground at some little distance from 

 and in an exact line to the chief pegs. The bottom line is 

 then made fast at each end, as also the continuation of the 

 top line. The two pegs, lines, and stafE thus form a triangle 

 at each end. The other net is then laid in such a manner 

 that when both are pulled over, one net shall overlap the 

 other to the extent of six inches. It is then turned back 

 and pegged down in the same way as the right-hand net. 

 The next operation is to tie the forked line to each top end 



