i 82 
NATURE NOTES 
pets in imitation afterwards) ? Why exclaim against the brutality of old times and 
the bull-fights of to-day in Spain ? 
“ The lie given continually that kindness alone is used to train wild beasts to do 
unnatural things is manifested by such exhibitions.” 
The Cost of a Sealskin. — Now that winter is approaching 
we would call the attention of our lady readers to a pamphlet 
on “The Cost of a Sealskin Cloak.” It is published by W. 
Reeves, 185, Fleet Street, price 2d. 
The Goldfinch. — We have received the two following 
letters : — 
“On page 161 the question is asked, ‘Are we losing the goldfinch?’ As 
compared with years ago, going back at least fifty, there is no doubt they are 
annually becoming more scarce. I remember at that time there were flocks of 
hundreds at this season of the year, where I was even surprised to see ten or a dozen 
yesterday, and I have no doubt when their presence is known by the local men 
^ho have clap-nets, or by the Birmingham men who scour the country, on 
“Sundays more particularly, they will soon be netted. Now is this fair to local 
bird lovers to be deprived of the beauties of Nature, and for farmers to be deprived 
of their best friends as weed-seed scavengers? They are supposed to be free or 
protected until the first of August ; but this is not long enough, even on nesting 
principles, for many have then either eggs or young in their nests, and the old 
birds are caught and taken away. 
“ In Somersetshire, we read, they are to be protected all the season, or year, 
and this ought to be carried out in Worcestershire and other counties also if the 
goldfinch is to have a chance in life. During the past summer a W'orcester- 
shire clergyman invited me over to see his garden, &c., which he descril>ed as 
‘ a paradise for birds,’ and so I found it in many respects, but I found no gold- 
finches in the locality, neither did I see or hear but one, and my visit involved a 
walk through the country of probably thirty miles. 
“ The method of taking goldfinches I saw carried out about two years 
ago, and it may be of interest to those who never saw it to describe it. Clap- 
traps are (writing from memory) about five or six yards long and two wide, 
and two are used. They are spread on a level space on the field, and the 
inside of each net is fixed on the ground so that they shall fold over the edges 
when the strings are pulled from a distance of sixty to eighty yards. A good 
cock bird is used as a ‘ call bird,’ the one used then being (I was informed) about 
twelve years old. A hen bird was used as a ‘ brace-bird,’ which is the cruellest 
thing in the business, as being tied with strings around the body, and under the 
■wings, she has no chance of escape, although on the approach of wild birds she 
is agitated with string fixed to her perch to attempt to fly, and consequently she is 
often hanging head downwards until she makes another attempt to fly, and then 
probably alights back on her perch or on a thistle stuck up as a decoy. On 
the wild birds alighting within reach of the folding nets the strings are pulled 
vigorously and the nets close over their victims. Birds often get killed or injured 
in this act, I was informed. The birds are then caught and taken out and placed 
in low cages or boxes with wires on one side only. If a good haul is made 
during the day they are crowded on top of one another and many die. If caught 
as grey-pates before moulting the mortality is great, and comparatively few are 
saved. The food of wild goldfinches, so far as my close observation extends, 
does not consist of many of the weeds mentioned on p."ige 162, neither have I ever 
noticed them feed on any insect life, such as Aphis mali, I’sylla mali, or cater- 
pillars, while several of the most prominent .seeds they feed upon are left out of 
the list, such as lettuce, and teazel, and others known locally as “ blue-buttons,” 
“hard-heads,” and “ wild-hops,” all field plants on which goldfinches flock to 
feed, and where the catchers get aware of them. 
" Astwood Bank, Worcestershire. James IIiam.” 
