The St. Johns herald., 1895-07-11
BIRD CATCHING.
How the Trick Is Dcne i-
 by Professio-
4 Description of the fFc kn Sharing the ClIsr Suburbs of Lon,
 the R-ea2 Q.

n DCuCn was 11I tA1'~SCS the materials for S i out and made ready, say core Spondent of the St. LoI.Is Demo crat. They were few and simple. Each man had stuffed male chafdnch in full plumagc noantcd on a short length of stick, in one end of which was a sharp spike. Besides this the only tools of the craft were half q dozen pieces of whalcboae of about the thickness Of a1 umbrella rib and nine inches long, and these. like the stuffed birds mounting, were provided at one cad with a spike. A little stone jar containing bird lime com pleted the outfit.
 These prelimineries completed, we made start for the forest, which was close at hand, Bob the Butcher (who had won the toss for first try) keeping we'll in advance Of the rest of the party. It c5all not, however, be said that chafiachcs were plentiful, though all round about us there was an abun- dance of bird music of almCat every other kind. It was not the fault of the valiant peCgcrs. Their cages all the time enveloped in the hGndEcrchiefs, they seemed to know exactly what was required of them, and fred off their challenge loud and Ncging, at the rate of at least three within the minute. But presently Fob the Butcher, who was some twenty yards ahead, held up his hand in token that he had at last found something" On that the sailor boy was placed for the time be- ing under furze bush, and we all hur- ried up to see the fun.
 A cruel sport is chafinch begging. Not that any actual pain is inflicted on the poor birds in the act of capture, though no doubt they are most terri bly, frightened. The villainy of the business lies in the unfortunate finch being made the victim of his jealous regard for the welfare of his nest mate the wife of his bosom. So nice are his ideas of dom estic felicity that though his house is no larger than the hollow of one's hand, he insists on having a tree all to himself for accom- modation. No other pair of chafinches may build there, nor must any male of the tribe come lcafng round. Sure as he does fight ensues and the inter lopcr iS driven away. It is on the Ohaffinch's known objection to visitors of his own species that the raScally bird catcher founds his hopes of sue cess, as wns speedily made manifest by Bob the Butchers mancuvcring at the trunk of the poplar tree, among the boughs of which wild finch was all the tina angrily responding to the hidden caGed birds challenge.
 Producing his slips of whalebono the butcher cIccarcd them plcntifully with the bird lime, and by means of the spiked ends stuck them here and there in the tree trunk, and irnmcdi- ately beneath he fixed the stuffed bird. It was not till then that he placed the decoy flnch-its cage still tied up in tho handkcrchicf-at the foot of the tree, and covered it over with hand full or two of grass. This was the pitch" and on the instant watch was produced and the exact time noted, and we all withdrew to the screening of a hedge close at hand, pccping through the openings of which we could sec what was taking place in the poplar tree. The hidden bird con- tinuing his challenge" the wild bird always answering, and each succeed ing time moro ferccly-was presently seen eagerly futtcring this way in search of the intruder. At last, green eyed-and on that account purblind probably-it caught sight of the harm less dummy down below, and, with Q shriek of rage, was down on it, swift seemingly as a stone from a sling. But the treacherous lined twigs inter- cepted the savage bounce, and the next moment, with its outstretched wings held by the detached sneared sticks, it fell helpless to the ground.