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BIRD-CATCHING. 
consist of the linnet, the goldfinch, and the 
greenfinch, which are secured to the flur by 
what is called a brace or bandage, a contriv- 
ance which secures the birds without do- 
ing any injury to their plumage. When 
the bird-catcher hath laid his nets, he dis- 
poses of his call-birds at proper intervals. 
It must be owned that there is most mali- 
cious joy in these call- birds, to bring the 
wild ones into the same state of captivity ; 
which may likewise be observed with re- 
gard to the decoy ducks. See Decoy. 
Their sight and hearing infinitely excel 
that of the bird-catcher. The instant that the 
wild birds are perceived, notice is given by 
one to the rest of the call-birds, (as it is by the 
first hound that hits on the scent to the rest of 
the pack) after which follows the same sort 
of tumultuous ecstasy and joy. The call- 
birds, while the bird is at a distance, do not 
sing as a bird does in a chamber ; they in- 
vite the wild ones by what the bird-catchers 
call short jerks, which, when the birds are 
good, maybe heard at a great distance. 
The ascendency by this call or invitation is 
so great, that the wild bird is stopped in 
its course of flight ; and, if not already ac- 
quainted with the nets, lights boldly within 
20 yards of perhaps three or four bird- 
catchers, on a spot which otherwise it 
would not have taken the least notice of. 
Nay, it frequently happens, that if half a 
flock only are caught, the remaining half 
will immediately afterwards light in the 
nets, and share the same fate ; and should 
only one bird escape, that bird will suffer 
itself to be pulled at till it is caught ; such 
a fascinating power have the call-birds. 
The nightingale is not a bird of flight, in 
the sense the bird-catchers use this term. 
Like the robin, wren, and many other sing- 
ing birds, it only moves from hedge to 
hedge, -and does not take the periodical 
flights in October and March. 
The persons who catch these birds, make 
use of small trap-nets, without call-birds ; 
and are considered as inferior in dignity to 
other bird-catchers, who will not rank with 
them. The arrival of the nightingale is ex- 
pected by the trappers in the neighbour- 
hood of London, the first week in April : at 
the beginning, none but cocks are taken ; 
but in a few days the hens make their ap- 
pearance, generally by themselves, though 
sometimes a few males come along with 
them. The latter are distinguished from 
the females not only by their superior size, 
but by a great swelling of their vent, which 
commences on the first arrival of the hens. 
They are caught in a net-trap, the bottom 
of which is surrounded with an iron ring; 
the net itself is rather larger than a cab- 
bage-net. When the trappers hear or see 
them, they strew some fresh mould under 
the place, and bait the trap with a meal- 
worm from the baker's shop. Ten or a do- 
zen nightingales have been thus caught in a 
day. 
The common way of taking larks, of 
which so many are used at our tables, is in 
the night, with those nets which are called 
trammels. These are usually'made of 36 
yards in length, and about six yards over, 
with six ribs of packthread, which at the 
ends are put upon two poles of about 16 
feet long, and made lesser at each end. 
These are to be drawn over the ground by 
two men, and every five or six steps the 
net is made to touch the ground, otherwise 
it will pass over the birds without touching 
them, and they will escape. When they* 
are felt to fly up against the net, it is clap- 
ped down, and then all are safe that are un- 
der it. The darkest nights are properest 
for this sport ; and the net will not only 
take larks, but all other birds that roost on 
the ground, among which are woodcocks, 
snipes, partridges, quails, fieldfares, and se- 
veral others. 
In the depth of winter, people sometimes 
take great numbers of larks by nooses of 
horse hair. The method is this : take 100 
or goo yards of packthread ; fasten at every 
six inches a noose made of double horse 
hair ; at every 20 yards the line is to be 
pegged down to the ground, and so left 
ready to take them. The time to use this 
is when the ground is covered with snow, 
and the larks are to be allured to it by 
some white oats scattered all the way among 
the nooses. They must be taken aw ay as 
soon as three or four are hung, otherwise 
the rest will be frighted ; but though the 
others are scared away just where the 
sportsman comes, they will be feeding at 
the other end of the line, and the sport may 
be thus continued for a long time. 
Those caught in the day are taken in 
clap-nets of 15 yards length, and two and 
a half in breadth, and are enticed within 
the reach by means of bits of looking-glass, 
fixed in a piece of wood, and placed in the 
middle of the nets, which are put in a quick 
whirling motion by a string the larker com- 
mands j he also makes use of a decoy lark. 
These nets are used only till the 14th of 
November; for the larks will not dare, or 
fiolie in the air, except in fine sunny wea- 
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