124 
NATURE NOTES. 
be seen chasing a herd until the fawns are ready to drop 
from mingled fear and exhaustion. The bye-laws require all 
dogs to be kept “ under control ; ” but unless by shooting — 
which the keepers are prohibited — it is difficult to secure them 
when hunting on their own account. 
Wild cats — strictly speaking, domesticated tabbies which 
have adopted a savage life — are found at intervals. They 
kill the young rabbits, squirrels and birds. Two years ago a 
pair were dislodged with difficulty from a hollow tree in Monk 
Wood, where they had taken up their abode. 
From the end of August to the commencement of February — 
and even at other times, in defiance of the Wild Birds’ Protection 
Acts — the bird-catchers put in an appearance in the adjacent 
district. The “ March flight ” and the “ Michaelmas flight ” — 
the arrival and departure of the migrant birds — are their best 
seasons. In the fields and meadows on the Lea Valley side 
of the Forest, beyond the Conservators’ jurisdiction, they are 
seen with their long spread-out clap-nets and call-birds, some 
of the latter in cages arranged around ; others, tethered by the 
leg, fluttering up and down, tempting to destruction the linnets, 
greenfinches, or other guileless songsters near, with just a 
chance of alluring a prize in the shape of a bullfinch or gold- 
finch. The clap - netter seldom ventures within the Forest 
boundaries, for his bulky stock-in-trade — which he cannot 
afford to lose — prevents a hasty retreat. Not so the chaffinch 
“ pegger,” who, less encumbered, is met with at the commence- 
ment of the mating season. He is easily recognised by the 
mysterious-looking parcel, wrapped up in a handkerchief, he 
bears under his arm. This encloses the caged trained decoy 
bird known as a “ battling-finch.” In addition he has in his 
pockets a stuffed lure mounted on a spiked perch, two or three 
pieces of thin split cane or whalebone with spiked tips, and a 
box of birdlime. Haunting the outskirts of the Forest, the 
“ pegger ” listens intently for the familiar “ pink, pink ” of the 
Avild chaffinch. When the sharp metallic sound is heard he 
quickly traces the bird to the tree in which it is located. At the 
foot he places his cage, concealing it with a handful or two of 
grass or bracken. In the trunk he affixes the stuffed lure, and 
over it his pieces of cane or whalebone, smeared Avith birdlime. 
Then, with an encouraging chirrup to his decoy, he retires a feAv 
paces and awaits events. It is the jealousy of the Avild chaffinch 
which is worked upon. The caged bird trills out its crisp 
challenge notes, to Avhich the other defiantly replies, and soon 
flutters angrily doAvn to do battle Avith its supposed rival, for 
which it mistakes the lure. Its Avings are immediately piniohed 
by the treacherous birdlime, and it falls a helpless victim to 
the ground. The “pegger” himself does not ahvays get off 
scot free. Often the tables are turned, and the captor himself 
becomes the captive, the Forest-keepers adopting CA'ery possible 
ruse to secure the ofl'enders in the A’ery act. 
