Winter time is the most proper for taking all manner of Small Birds, as flocking then promiscuously together, Larks, Lennets, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Yellow-Hammers, &c. with this Bird-lime, made as afore-spoken; only additionally thus ordered. Put to a quarter of a pound of Bird-lime, an Ounce of fresh Lard, or Capons-grease, and let it gently melt together over the Fire, but not Boyl; then take a quantity of Wheat-ears, as you think your use shall require, and cut the straw about a foot long besides the Ears, and from the Ear Lime the straw Six inches; the warmer it is, the less discernable it will be: Then to the Field adjacent, carrying a bag of Chaff, and thresh’d Ears, scatter them twenty Yards wide, and stick the lim’d Ears (declining downwards) here, and there; Then traverse the Fields, disturb their Haunts, they will repair to your Snare, and pecking at the Ears, finding they stick to them, mount; and the Lim’d straws, lapping under their Wings, dead their flight, they cannot be disengaged, but fall and be taken they must. Do not go near them, till they rise of their own accord, and let not five or six entangled lead you to spoyl your Game, and incur the loss of five or six dozen. Barn-doors, Thatcht-Houses, and such like places, are excellent too for the use of these Lime-straws. A Clap- Net, and Lanthorn, in a dark night rub’d at the Eaves of Houses, is a common practice.
Lime-Twigs, is another Expedient for taking of Great Fowle, being Rods that are long, small, straight, and pliable, the upper part (apt to play to and fro) being besmeared with Bird-lime warm. Thus to be used, Observe the Haunts of the Fowle, have a Stale, (a living Fowle of the same kind you would take) and cross pricking your Rods, one into, and another against the Wind sloping, a foot distant one from the other, pin down your Stale, some distance from them, tying some small string to him, to pull and make him flutter to allure the Fowle down. If any be caught, do not run presently upon them, their fluttering will encrease your Game. A well taught Spaniel is not amiss to retake those that are entangled, and yet flutter away. Thus likewise for the Water, consult the Rivers depth, and let your Rods be proportionable; what is Limed of them being above the Water, and a Mallard, &c. as a Stale placed here and there, as aforesaid. You need not wait on them, but three times a day visit them, and see your Game; if you miss any Rods (therefore know their Number) some Fowle entangled is got away with it, into some Hole, &c. and here your Spaniel will be serviceable to find him.
For Small-Birds, a Lime-bush is best; thus, Cut down a great Bough of a Birch, or Willow-Tree, trim it clean, and Lime it handsomely, within four fingers of the bottom: Place this Bush so ordered, in some quick-set, or dead Hedge, in Spring time: In Harvest, or Summer, in Groves, Bushes, Hedges, Fruit-Trees, Flax, and Hemp-Lands: In Winter, about Houses, Hovells, Barns, Stacks, &c. A Bird-Call is here also necessary, or your own industrious skill in the Notes of several Birds. Lime-twigs are likewise used, stuck on Hemp-cocks, which take vast Numbers of Lennets, and Green-Birds, that love that Diet. An Owle placed near your Lime-twigs, is likewise an Excellent Stale, for being persecuted by all other Birds, they flock about him, and dye with Hatred; I mean, being taken by you, in their eager, and malicious Persecution of poor Tom. Some have Natural, others Artificial Owles, and with either fear not Success. And thus you may do, in any particular Game, with your Twigs, and Stale of the same kind, as, Snipes, Felfares, Pigeons, &c.
And here I must not forget the Farmers Advantage, to destroy his Corn-destroyers, Rooks, but give him this Advice: Take some thick Brown-paper, divide a sheet into Eight parts, and make them into the fashion of Sugar-Loaves; Lime them a little in the inside, and put some Corn in them (if in Ploughing time, Wormes, and Maggots) lay Three or Four Score up and down the Land, under (if you can) some Clod, early, before feeding time: Be at some distance, and behold the ensuing Sport. Your Pigeons, Rooks, Crows, &c. comeing to pick out the Corn or Worms, the Pyramidal-snare hangs on their heads, they fly straight upright, almost out of sight, and as if some Gun in the Ayr had met with them, down they come tumbling (being spent) and become your Prey.
Thus much in general of taking all manner of Fowle, by Net, or Lime, I come next to know their best Seasons, when to use them, and the first (the Net) is from the beginning of May, to the latter end of October; and the last (the Lime) in the Winter only, beginning from November, and ending at May, in which times, there being no Leaves, your Lime-Bushes, and Branches of Trees are of one and the same Hue.
And because Gentlemen who have Fish-ponds, wonder they loose so many Fish, and are apt to Censure sometimes undeservedly their Neighbours, when it is the insatiable Hern, that is the true cause: I shall next lay down the best and most approved way of taking the great Fish-devouring Herne, whose Haunt having found, observe this Method to take him. Get three or four small Roaches, or Dace, take a strong Hook, (not too rank) with Wyre to it, and draw the Wyre just within the skin, from the side of the Gills, to the Taile of the said Fish, and he will live four or five dayes, (if dead, the Herne will not touch it.) Then having a strong Line, of a dark-Green-Silk, twisted with Wyre, about three yards long, tye a round stone of a pound to it, and lay three or four such hooks, but not too deep in the Water, out of the Herne’s wading; and two or three Nights will answer your Expectation.
And here I thought to conclude this Discourse of Fowling, but the young Tyro or Beginner in the Acquest of this Noble Art, pulls me back again, and whispers this Question in my Ear, How to take Pheasants, Partridges, &c. in particular, by either of the forementioned wayes, as, Nets, Lime, Engine, Driving, or Setting; because of all Fowl for Game, these two are esteemed as the most Gentile, and Profitable? I shall answer his Curiosity, and for his Instruction, propose these ensuing Rules, though what I have said in general of Great Fowl might suffice.
The severall wayes of taking Pheasants.
For to take Pheasants with Nets, first find their Haunts, or Coverts, which are generally in thick, young, well-grown Copses, solitary and untraced by Men or Cattle, and not in Old High Woods; and never in open Fields. Which having assured knowledge of, the next thing is to find out the Eye, or Brood of Pheasants, wich according to the best Experience is thus. You must learn and understand the several Notes of a Natural Pheasant-Call, and how usefully to apply them. In the Morning just before, or at Sun-rising, call them to feed, and so at Sun-setting: In the Forenoon, and Afternoon, your Note must be to Cluck them together to Brood, or to chide them for straggling, or to notify some danger at hand.
Thus skilled in their Notes, and by the Darkness, Solitaryness, and strong undergrowth of the place assured of their Haunts, closely lodge your self, and softly at first call; lest being near you, a loud Note affright them; and no Reply made, raise your Note gradually, to the highest; and if there be a Pheasant in hearing, he will answer you, in as loud a Note. Be sure it be Tunable. As soon as you are answered, creep nearer to it; if far off, and a single Fowl, as you call, and approach, so will the Pheasant. Having gotten sight of her, on the Ground, or Perch, cease calling, and with all silence possible, spread your Net conveniently, between the Pheasant, and you, one end of the Net fastned to the Ground, and the other end, hold by a long Line in your hand, by which you may pull it together, if strained; then call again, and as you see the Pheasant come under your Net, rise and shew your self, and affrighting her, she will mount, and so is taken. Thus if on the contrary you have divers Answers, from several Corners of the Coppice, and you keep your place and not stir, they will come to your Call, and then having a pair of Nets, spread one on each side, and do as before. Your Nets must be made of Green or Black double-twin’d Thread, the Mesh about an inch square, between Knot, and Knot, the whole Net about three Fathom long, and Seven Foot broad, verged with strong small Cord on each side and ends, to lye hollow and compass-wise.