90 
PIGEONS. 
throwing the stone, as upon this the success of the 
diversion depended. 
At a small village called Gerde, about a league 
from Bagnere de Bigorres, in the Pyrenees, a mode 
somewhat similar is adopted, from the middle of 
September to the middle of November, which attracts 
the notice, and is resorted to, as a favourite amuse- 
ment by those who visit that beautiful country. 
Large nets are stretched across the end of a narrow 
valley, and made fast to trees. Three tall spars, 
nearly fifty feet in height, are reared in a triangular 
form, meeting in a point at the summit, where a sort 
of nest of bushes is made, in which a person conceals 
himself, ascending the high poles by small pegs, 
which, as they shake under his weight, and are as 
slender as possible, consistently with strength, ap- 
pears to lookers on, to be a service of no small risk. 
Two men are also concealed in bushes near the nets, 
which, by means of lines, they are enabled to throw 
over the Pigeons as they advance ; while others, 
assembled on the heights immediately above, frighten 
the birds, and force them to fly downwards as they 
pass through the channel of the valley. When all 
have taken their positions, they wait patiently and 
silently the arrival of a flock of Pigeons. Their 
approach is announced by a rushing sound, on hear- 
ing which, the people on the heights pour upon them 
a volley of short sticks, which compel them to lower 
their flight towards the ground, when, if they attempt 
to rise, the man in the nest immediately begins 
shaking his airy perch as much as [possible, and 
throwing upon the affrighted birds, sticks tied 
together in the form of a cross, which make a whiz- 
