THE MALLARD. 159 
margin of the net, tied at every fifteen feet, and where tied, it is 
made into asmall loop to receive the head of the pole. For each 
piece you have twenty-one light, but strong, bamboos, about 
sixteen feet long. Selecting some large shallow jhil, where fowl 
are comparatively scarce during the day, but to which they resort 
in numbers at night to feed, you run your net about IO A.M. across 
partofthe water. Ai little judgmentis here required. You have 
to see where the fowl usually congregate, and in what direction it 
will be easiest to drive them. You must so plant the net that it 
shall be invisible at night from that part of the water over which 
you intend driving the fowl ; and it must, therefore, have a dark 
background, trees, or a high bank. It must be at least eighty 
yards in from the further shore, or the fowl would (finding they 
were being driven in too near the shore), rise before they got near 
the net. The water ought not to be above two feet deep, so that 
there may be twelve feet of the net above the water. The bam- 
boos should be painted dull lead color, the net (well tanned first,) 
should be dyed with a weak solution of indigo. You run out the 
one, two, three, or more pieces ina straight line; with six prac- 
tised men, and a heavy crowbar to make the holes for the butts 
of the bamboo poles, each piece can be put up in about twenty- 
five minutes. There are a few yards of spare ropeat each end of 
the net, and this is pegged down about four yards beyond the last 
pole, with a strong peg, so as to keep the whole line taut. As 
each piece is set, the net is thrown up over its upper margin, 
so that, during the day, any fowl there are can swim under it 
backwards and forwards without even noticing it, as, when pro- 
perly done, no part hangs down within eight feet of ithe water. 
Just at dusk before the fowl arrive, the men silently pull the net 
down. Then about 8 or 9 P.M., when the fowl have thoroughly 
settled themselves, and have fed heartily, so that they are averse 
to flying, you go into the water, and gently drive the fowl towards 
the net. It is best for every man to be accompanied bya 
buffalo; in that case you can walk within ten yards of the 
fowl, and see exactly what there is, and how best to drive them. 
But this is not necessary. I have often driven fowl without buffa- 
loes, and the only difference is, that you cannot approach the fowl 
so closely, that you require more men, that the drive takes 
twice as long, and that you cannot be equally sure of making 
the best of the haul. You walk backwards and forwards slowly, 
at right angles to the direction in which the fowl are to go, 
approaching nearer at each turn, they, all the while, slowly 
swimming towards the net. The number of men must depend 
first upon the width of water you have to drive, and upon 
whether you have cows, buffaloes or ponies with you or not. 
When the bulk of the fowl are about ten yards from the net, you 
fire a gun ; all the beaters shout, splash, and rush towards the net ; 
the fowl spring up, and many failing to clear the net get en- 
tangled in it in the most extraordinary manner, and you rush 
