Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-05-22
BIrd-LIme and Its Uses.

Bird-iime Is q tenacious. sticky SUBJ
stance, used 10 smear fwigs or sticks
for the purpose Of catching birds that
may alight thereon, and might be used
for destroying the pestiferous European
sparrows which are rapidly becoming Q
great nuisance in all or large towns
and their suburbs /. can a'so be en-
ployed for catching fruit.eating birds,
or forcing them TO leave the garden aud
orchard; for \ bird that once sets foot
on 4 fresh. splash Of hird-lime and is not
caught viii be very lkely to leave the
locality and not revisit it again during
the season. Although bird-lime IS
made in the United States in small
quantities. Japan is probably the only
country in which it is regularly manu-
featured on a large scale. Il IS made
from the bark of the mochi tree. an
evergreen with thick evergreen leaves
The manufacture extends over several
months. The bark is taken from the
trees in June and macerated in water
aboat forty days. after which IL is beaten
in = mortar with peSle shod with
iron, the fat under surface of which is
armed with spikes pro, ,ecting down
ward. When the mass in the mortar
becomes glGtinous it is taken out and
washed in water to remove as much OF
the rough euter bark as possible. 1t is
then again pounded and treaiei In
vessel OF hot water on which il floats.
Here it is again manipulated by the
workmen for the purpose Of disengag-
ing the remaining particles of bark
After this il IS again washed in cold
water. These processes OF pounding.
boiling and washing are repeated until
about nine-tenths Of the original mass
is washed away, and the material be-
comes sufficiently clear and pure 1t Is
then = dull whi.ish color. extremely
viscid- and Of = very gummy cOnsisten-
ey. When well prepared it is said to
keep good for n long time.
An inferior article is made in Europe
from the bark Of the common holly.
treated in 8 manner similar 10 thx
EbOvo described Uthsr preparation
hare been inside under the same nanB:
but without the same results A fece
writer, speaking of the uses to whie
this article Is put BY the JSpsnese. says
that they are far more diverse than one
would suspect. the principal one being.
Of course. the snaring OF birds and ami
mails. By means Of bird-lime, animals
As large as monkeys are caught When
they once get the stuff upon their paws.
they soon cover themselves with il. and
30 exhaust themselves in irving 10 get
rid of it that they faIl an easy prey.
Birds rs large as ducks are taken, and
by = very ingenious process. lie
Young shoots Of the x.siaria; which st
ain considerable length. and are strong.
light and flexible. are gathered. dried
and knOtted together in one continuous
length. This IS smeared with bird-lime.
and coated out to sea, where very often
In the morning the hunter is rewarded
BY the capture Of several birds. Il is
very inexpensive method of bagging
wild fowl. as the tackle will serve any
number Of times till tho bird-lime dries.
when il is easily replaced. There l. ne
noise made in this Kind Of hunting 10
drive away the ducks. OF to inform the
neighbors Of what IS going on about the
haunts of wild fowl.
Small birds are caught in various
ways. some BY means Of a decoy bird
concealed near n patch of tempting
food. which is plentifully planted with
hAltc eIlt tAttI1 u NoDu. IKE large
needles, the upper half of which are
covered with lime. In China and Japan
they use bamboo spl:nters. but those
made Of Eastwood or any similar light
kind will answer Just as well The
Japanese also catch small birds on trees
by using long bamboo rods. the tops of
which are smeared with the lime. and
then siaalthily thrusting them against
their feathers. Rats and mice are easily |
caught by spreading a small quantity |
Of nird-lime on pieces of psper or
board, and placing these near their
poles Il il also spread upon Ine leaves |
1f the bamboo and universally employed |
throughout Japan for catching flies and |
5ther insects. Even Gea-traps are made /
Jf il. and used BIZ the Japanese id bed. !
Binl-liTne has rs vet been very little |
used in this country, but il could be in |
trOduced &c advantage in many sections |
and for many purposes; and if the En- |
glish sparrows are to be destroyed. il |
can be done more rapidly and with less
Danger with traps than with powder |
and shot. although the former may net |
Afford quite so much sport to boys who |
are fond Of n gun. and take more pleas
ure in n noisy hunt than 3 still one
~ u Sun.