small stakes, about 2
ft. in length, sharpened to a point at the nether end, and forked at
the upper. These were pricked out in rows about a yard or two apart,
some being placed in a slanting direction, and each stake siding one
with another, within convenient distances of 4 yds. or 5 yds, so as to
bear up the strings, which were laid upon the crutches, and placed
loosely about 18 in. above the ground. The lime strings were thus
drawn from stake to stake in various directions, and lightly placed
between the forks at the top of the stakes, some rows being higher
than others; and in this manner the whole space occupied by the stakes
was covered with lime strings, as if carefully laid in wave-like
coils, or placed in different directions, the ends being secured to
the stakes with slip-knots, so that upon a light strain the whole of
any string which might be touched by the bird became instantly loose,
and, sticking to the feathers, the more it struggled to free itself,
so much the more the string twisted about it, and thus the bird was
quickly entangled, and became an easy prey. In this manner numbers of
wild fowl of the largest species were taken at night at the moment of
sweeping over the ground at very slow flight, just before alighting;
and it would appear that this method of fowling was particularly
successful in taking plovers, which generally alight on the ground
thickly congregated together.

A similar method was employed for taking wild fowl with lime strings
placed over the surface of rivers and ponds frequented by those birds,
and apparently with remarkable success. For this purpose it was
necessary to procure a waterproof bird-lime wherewith to dress the
strings, which were knotted in a similar manner to those employed for
taking birds on land. The strings so prepared were in serpentine coils
from stake to stake, the stakes being forked at the top, and of
similar form to those last described, but of sufficient length to
reach the bottom of the water and obtain a firm fixing in the mud.
Some of the stakes were placed on the banks of the water or in any
manner so that the lime strings could be drawn across and about the
surface in different directions, resting here and there on some or
other of the stakes or any boughs or overhanging trees, in such a way
that the birds, when in the act of alighting on the water at night,
might strike against the lime strings and become therein entangled.

The principal secret o