Evening star., 1896-08-15
SHARING rnH RfDB1aD.
The Pluck Of the Bird Leads Him
Into Captivity.

~Ae &A~cA OF the Bird Leads Him
Into Captivity.
From the New Orleans Picayune.
Inc redbird, when 1T has gotten down
hard to home Neutrality-suspicious. a remark
able tendency to fight. At -all other times
OF the year he Is as -docila- and gentle as
any In the woods, indeed, rather inclined
to take great deal feom Sther birds; but
as soon as the nest is completed and Mrs
Redbird is installed queen thereof he gets
on his war paint and will fight anything
that comes along. 1t is by taking advan-
tage OF this bravery Of the redbird in de-
Tending the home that the hunter is en-
abied to ensnare it. The trap used is
small wire cage. Within this cage Is q
tame bird, one which has been in captivity
Tor year or two. and sings freely. The
hunter 1 wanoers into the woods and slowly
makes mis- way through the swamps until
ne reaches dense portion, when he halts.
Pretty soon the bird in the cage, delighted,
doubtless. at being again in its native,
Woous, even II bars stand between 1t aid
liberty, begins singing with all Its might
II there Is redbird within the sound of
u tne cailsrs voice 1t hastens to investigate.
one OF the peculiar habits of the redbird,
huilerS say, Is that there seems, by COM
mon consent, to be a division of the woods
among them. each bird having appropriat-
eo 10 MS especial jurisdiction a certain al
lo.meht OF woods. Sometimes other birds,
% ei.ner oy mistake or for the purpose of ac-
curing more territory, invade the domain
OF ahother, Whereupon there is a fierce
nsht, which Is called off only when one or
the other or the birds copauers in which
case the victor becomes the possessor of
the territory Of the two, together with the
defeated birds mate, who. it seems. is no
longer VIKING to share fortunes with her
former lord after he has proven himself q
poor fighter.
Inc hunter has on one side of his cage a
lisnt net. bound about by light frame,
ana 10 the center of light iron rod
stretched perpendicularly across this frame
~ attached In swinging position a short
This gate of netting is opened and kept In
that position by the wooden trigger, which
IS braced against another similar trigger
attached 10 the sides of the cage wherein Is
the call bird. This connection of the two
triggers Is very delicate, and the slightest
touch VIII sufhce to throw it. whereupon
the netting frame door Is quickly closed by
spring against the sides of the cage
Ihls Is what holds the redbird captive
AS soon as the hunter has set the trigger
OF MS cage he hangs 1t to a limb some
"heFe or PAGES 1t on the ground and goes
away some distance to await results The
imprisoned redbird soon begins to sing and
"ithln nearing distance, there Is flutter Of
wings, series of sharp cries, and before
tne hunter can say scat! the wild re1bird
mes headlonS at his supposed enemy with
IN the cage, throws the trigger and Is cap
tured. 1t takes very little longer to capture
redplfd at this time of the year than 1t
aces TO catch fish. If once the Gagged bird
Is placed In the right spot within the terri
tory OF the other redbirds, and he hears its
singing, the rest Is very easy for reg lrd
less OF all personal safety and everything
else, ne rushes mady to the fight