BIRDS IN A VILLAGE. 
69 
it had been hanging about for some time, he told 
me, dashing at the linnets and driving them oft* 
when they flew down to the nets. Two or three 
times he might have caught it, but would not draw 
the nets and have the trouble of resetting them for 
so worthless a bird. " But I'll take him the next 
time," he said vindictively. Unfortunately the 
shrike soon flew away, and passing linnets dropped 
down, drawn to the spot by the twitterings of 
their caged fellows, and w^ere caught; and so it 
went on for a couple of hours, we conversing during 
the waiting intervals. Linnets only were caught, 
most of them young birds, which pleased him ; for 
the young linnet after a month or two of cage life 
will sing ; but the adult males would be silent until 
the next spring, consequently they were not worth 
so much, although the carmine stain in their breast 
made them so much more beautiful. 
I remarked incidentally that there were some 
who looked with unfriendly eyes on his occupa- 
tion, and that, sooner or later, these people would 
try to get an Act of Parliament to make bird- 
catching in lanes and in waste lands illegal. " They 
can't do it ! " he exclaimed excitedly. " And if they 
can do it, and do do it, it will be the ruination of 
England. For what would there be then to stop 
the birds increasing ? It stands to reason that 
the whole country would be eaten up." 
