BIRD-CATCHING. 
157 
of the various kinds of animals and birds whose flesh 
is proper for hawks to feed on, says (p. 137),—“ The 
flesh of these flesh-crowes (i,e. carrion crows), and of the 
wagtayles (or dishwasher , as we tearme them, in Latin 
called Motacilla) y and the cormorant, is of euil nourish¬ 
ment and digestion.” 
While on the subject of small birds in general, and 
song birds in particular, it will be interesting to glance at 
the methods which were formerly practised for catching 
them. These methods were many and various in kind. 
Springes, gins, bat-fowling, bird-lime, bird-bolts, and bird- 
ing-pieces are all mentioned by Shakespeare. 
The “ springe ” and the “ gin ” we shall have occasion to 
notice later in our remarks upon the Woodcock, for which 
bird these snares were usually employed. The ancient 
practice of “ bat-fowling,” or “ bat-folding,” is noticed in 
“ The Tempest ,” Act ii. Sc. 1 :— 
“He would so, and then go a bat-fowling.” 
In Markham’s “Hunger’s Prevention,” 1600, are some 
curious directions on this subject, which afford a very good 
idea of the way in which this sport was practised 
formerly :— 
“ For the manner of bat-fowling, it may be used either 
with nettes or without nettes. 
“ If you vse it without nettes (which indeed is the most 
common of the two), you shall then proceed in this manner. 
