We are furnished with house birds by the bird catchers and bird sellers;
the latter procure foreign birds, and teach them, the former the
indigenous ones. A good bird catcher ought to know not only the
different modes of taking birds, but also all the calls for attracting
the different species and sexes: the call notes vary very much among
house birds, according to their passions and wants; thus the common
chaffinch, when calling its companions, often repeats _iack_, _iack_;
when expressing joy, _fink_, _fink_, which it also does when angry,
though louder and more quickly; whilst its cry of sorrow is _treef_,
_treef_.
The science of bird catching consists in studying these different
languages well, and it will ensure success.
As each species of bird requires a different mode, I shall mention the
various methods in the course of the work, and shall here only speak of
bird catching in general. The first thing to know is the proper time to
take birds. For birds of passage, impelled by cold and want of food to
change their climate, nets should be spread in spring and autumn;
erratic birds, which change their place merely in search of food, may be
taken, some in winter, some in spring, and others in autumn; those birds
which never quit their native place may be taken at any season, but more
easily in winter, when they assemble in small flocks.
Autumn is the time for taking birds in nets; some, attracted by a
call-bird, or by food, come of their own accord into the trap; others,
as the different species of larks, must be driven to the net; but spring
is the best season for employing the decoy, or call-birds, concealed in
cages, and also for catching the northern birds on their return from
the southern countries to their own. It is the best time for observing
the different sexes of these birds, for the males always arrive some
days, or even a whole week, sooner than the females; hence it happens
that at first the bird catchers take only the former, while the latter
are caught afterwards. March and April are the best months for this
sport, which should always be made in the morning from the break of day
till nine o'clock, as afterwards the birds are too much engaged seeking
their food to listen to the call of the decoy birds.
As most of the house birds of the first class, are caught in the net, I
shall describe the simple manner in which it is done in Thuringia. Some
rather strong branches of oak and beech are chosen with their leaves on;
about the space of a foot is cleared of leaves, a foot and a half from
the top of the branches, and in this space notches are made for fixing
lime twigs: the bush, when thus prepared, must be placed on an eminence
in the most frequented part of the birds' path, for birds of passage
have fixed roads which they always follow, and in which numbers may be
seen, whilst about four hundred paces distant not one can be met with.
These tracks generally follow the mountains which border on valleys. It
is on these mountains then that the decoy bush must be placed; it must
then be garnished with lime twigs, placed in an inclined position, and
beneath on the ground must be put the decoy birds, covering their cages
with branches of fir or any other tree, so that the birds cannot see one
another, as that would prevent the birds of passage from stopping, and
the others from calling.
Decoy birds taken wild are preferred to those reared from the nest, for
these never know the call note well, or at least do not repeat it often
enough.
One of the best modes of catching is by what is called the _water-trap_;
all kinds of birds may be caught by it, and there is always a choice.
This sport is very agreeable in the hot summer days, for you have only
to sit quietly under the thick shade of the foliage by the side of a
running stream. A net of three, four, or six feet long, and three or
four wide, according to the size of the place, must be spread over a
trench made on purpose to receive the water. Some sticks of about an
inch thick must be put into the trench level with the water, to which
hoops are fixed to prevent the net from getting wet by falling into the
water; the rest of this little canal must be covered with branches. If
the place be well chosen it will be surrounded during the day with
numbers of different birds. This sport may be carried on from the 24th
of July till October, from the rising to the setting of the sun.
When the _water-trap_ can be set near a forest, in a grove of pines and
firs, near quickset hedges and gardens, or in the middle of a meadow,
wood or field-birds may be caught at the same time. For the sake of
convenience, small cages are made which can be folded up and put into
the pocket. They only serve, however, for the tamest kinds of birds,
such as goldfinches, siskins, and linnets; those which are very wild and
violent, as chaffinches and larks, should be put into a small bag made
of linen, the bottom of which must be lined with felt. When brought to
the house the violent species must be immediately put into a dark place,
and their cages covered with branches or anything else, that they may
not injure themselves, or spoil their plumage. A little attention to the
birds' actions in such cases will point out what is best to be done, for
amongst birds of the same species there is nothing regular in this
respect.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: BROWN OWL.]