THE Experienced Fowler: OR, THE Gentleman, Citizen, and Country-man's Pleasant and Profitable RECREATION. Containing, 1. The True Art of taking Water and Land Fowl, with divers kinds of Nets, Lime-Twigs Lime-Bushes, and how to make the best Birdlime. II. Directions for Batfowling, Lowbelling, Tramelling, and driving Fowl, how to find their Haunts, and take them with Springs, Snares, etc. III. An exact Method for using the Fowling-Piece at a true level, to shoot at the Water, Ground, Bush, or Flying. IU. How to make Shot, proportion the Charge, and know good Powder; with the proper use of the Stalking-Horse, Bush, Hedge, and how to manage them. V. Of Singing-Birds, their Diseases and Cure. VI. How to distinguish all sorts of Poulterer's Ware, whether Old or Young, Fresh or Stale, full of Eggs or not. Also to well Order, and speedily Fat Tame and Wild Fowl. VII. To which is added Directions for destroying all manner of Vermine.  
By J. S. Gent.  
London, Printed for Jo. Sprint, at the Blue Bell, and G. Conyers, at the Ring, in Little Britain 1697.   

  

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.  
READER,  
IN this small Tract I have laboured to set forth the best Methods to improve your Recreation in the Art of Fowling, that it may truly be said to be a Pleasure, separated from the extraordinary fatigue and toil, some put themselves to, on this occasion: I have not only there inserted my own Experience, but with them have laid down the Experiments of the most cunning and dexterous Proficients.  
There is beside Pleasure, Profit in this Exercise, the Air affording you various Dainties to furnish your Table with, that the Earth and Water seem to consent you should feast to your contentment, if you will be industrious in taking what in great plenty they afford: This Exercise moderately used, is also very much conducing to Health, by being up early, and breathing the fresh Morning Airs, and the Earth's ascending Fragrancy.  
I have gone through this Subject in all its parts, not only to direct you how to take the Fowl of the Water and Land, but what Materials you must order and make to that purpose, with the exact way of managing them to the best advantage not to fail of success. Nor is this all.  
I have herein treated of Singing Birds, and the several Diseases incident to them; also their Cures, for want of which Knowledge many fine Birds have been lost, to the perplexity of the Owners. I have done the like in relation to domestic Poultry, with a speedy way to fatten Tame and Wildfowl, and that such as buy them alive or dead, may not be imposed upon or cheated. I have likewise set down unerring Directions to know their Age or Youngness, Newness or Staleness, and whether with Egg or no; so that in this only you may in one Marketing save more than the Price of the Book: And because nothing should be wanting to make it complete, I have added to it the way to destroy all sorts of Vermin in Houses, Barns, Fields, or such as afflict the bodies of Men. So hoping it will not fail to please, I humbly submit it to your perusal and Candour, who am  
Your Friend to serve You, J. S.   

ADVERTISEMENT.  
THe True Art of Angling: Or, the best way of Finding and Taking all sorts of Fish with all sorts of Baits; with several other Secrets concerning the said Recreation; the like never made public before. By J. S. Gent.  
The Pious Man's Directions, showing how to walk with God all his Days. By a Wellwisher of the Whole Duty of Man.  
Both printed for S. Sprint and G. Conyers.  
The Complete Cook: Or, the whole Art of Cookery; describing the Best and Newest Ways of Dressing all sorts of Flesh, Fish, and Fowl; likewise their proper Sauces and Garnishes: With Instructions how to make the most approved Soops and Potages. By several eminent Cooks.  
Printed for G▪ Conyers.   

OF FOWL, and their Haunts, etc.  
FOWLING is not only a pleasant but profitable Recreation, contributing to the Health of the Body in its Exercise, and furnishing the Table with Dainties. Seeing then most are unskilful in the true method of it, I have thought necessary, for the accommodating Gentlemen and others, to lay down such Rules and Directions in so easy and intelligible a manner, as cannot but be pleasing and agreeable to all Persons who desire to be skilled herein.  
As for the Haunts of Wildfowl, though it is more usual in one place than another, yet they are not always certain; though they have especially at Seasons their Day-haunts and Night-haunts; for particularly the greater sort, such as are called Game, and worth taking, retire in the daytime to some place where they may securely rest; in the evening they take their best feeding, particularly Waterfowl, who are the watchfullest and shiest of all others; and these than are most usually found at small green Streams,, to which in the daytime they resort not, unless excessive hard Wether, or want of Food elsewhere, compel them.  
These Waterfowl are properly those that are called Webfooted, though there is another sort that much frequent Marshes and watery places which are not so, as the Bittern, Heron, etc. But though these peculiarly delight in Fish, which makes them resort where they are most likely to find them, they swim not as the Wild-goose, Duck, Widgeon, Moorhen, etc. who delight in Rivers and large deep Waters, and in Winter where the Currents or Springs deny access to the Frost; and so watchful are they, that they have their Scouts on all the Avenues, to give the whole Body notice of any one's approach, and speedily being alarmed, they take wing and fly to such places as they suppose of more safety.  
It is the nature of these Waterfowl to keep in Flocks; and when at any time you see a single one, or a couple flying, there you may certainly conclude they have been separated from the rest by some great affrightment, and will hardly rest till they have rejoined them: And this separation often happens, by the beating of the Haggards and Wild-hawks upon the Banks of the Rivers and other Waters, pursuing them as they rise, which causes this alteration. But to come nearer to the purpose, I now enter on the subject matter.  

The ordering of the Net to take large Waterfowl.  
IF you design to Net for the Waterfowl of any largeness, consider that your Nets be made of strong firm Pack-thread well twisted and dried, the Mashes or Squares large, the better to entangle them; but take this caution along with you, That they be not so wide as to lose the Fowl by its creeping through.  
This Net must be about two fathom deep, and six in length, and with neat strong Cord verge it on each side, at either end extend it with long Poles, that the lower ends of the Poles may be fastened with a piece of Line to two Stakes well driven into the ground, that they may not give way; and this must be done where you observe the feeding-places and morning-haunts of such Fowl: Place your Nets about two hours before their usual time of coming; then at about two or three fathom beyond the Net, in a direct line from the Stakes, fasten one end of the Cord, that the upper part of the Net is extended to or upon, whilst the other end you hold in your hand, being about ten or twelve fathom long, that when the Game approaches within the compass of your Net, on a swift or sudden pull, you may easily cast it over 'em. The Net must be flat on the ground; and the better to prevent its being discerned, cover it lightly over with short Grass or Sedge; then make a hiding-place for yourself of Fern, Reeds, Flags, or such as the place affords, that the Fowl seeing suchlike things elsewhere about them, may be the more familiar with it, and approach the bolder. As for your Stale, if you have any that is a tame one, or one artificially made of the kind you mostly Net for, it is most proper to place it within the verge of the Net, for the better increase of your Sport: And this you may continue till the Sun is risen about an hour, or some-longer, but not much; for than their feeding in those places is over, till a little before Sunset again.  
If your Net designed for great Fowl be very large, you cannot conveniently have a pair of Draw-nets, unless some one help you; for one will be as much as you can manage and conveniently throw over the Fowl: But for the smaller sort, a pair of Draw-nets may be proper enough, and well managed, in manner and form as you see in the following Figure.   

To take small Waterfowl with folding Day-nets, etc.  
This Net must be staked athwart the River, or Pond, and the bottom plummed so, that it may sink about six Inches under water, and the upper part by straining be slantwise against the Current, where there is one and about two foot above the Water, and fasten the String that guides the upper part of the Net to a small yielding Twig, the better for its giving way when the Fowl strikes against the Net, so that she may the more entangle: You may have several of these Nets placed at a convenient distance on a River, and if the Fowl fall near them, you cannot miss of Game: And where the Fowl lie remote from your Nets, you may drive or scare them to that place, by shooting or making a noise with any loud Instrument that may fray them from those Marshes or Pools to the River.  
These are the properest ways by Nets to take them, though there are many more which in their proper places I shall have occasion to speak of, and lay down suitable Rules and Directions to answer your desire.   

Land-fowl their Haunts, and how to take them with Nets.  
LAnd-fowl are not so shy as Waterfowl, as oftener seeing Men; yet are they cunning enough to avoid danger. Those that are properly termed Land-fowl, and worth taking, are found in Woods, Copices, Heaths, Fields, etc. where they have their several Haunts, according to their Nature or the Season of the Year; and they principally are Pheasants, Partridges, Rails, Quails, Pouts, Heath-cocks, Wood-Pidgeons, Blackbirds, Field-fares, Stairs, Thrushes, Larks, Puffins, Wheatears, and the like; and those or these, or other sorts that gather in Flights, may be taken in the daytime with Nets.  
In ordering this Affair, you must consider what Food they most delight in; for it will be proper to bait the place, as well to decoy them into the compass and danger of your Net, by a Stale or Bird of the kind you mostly lay in for. The Mashes of your Nets must be proportionable to the Fowl, that is not big enough for them to escape, nor so little, that there will be difficulty in their intangling, and about an inch or a little more, in the square will do. Let the Net be about three fathom in length, and one in depth, verged on either side with a sufficient Cord, and the Net be in all things as the figure, pag. 9 describes. These Nets must be of a very exact size; and the best time for this Sport is from August to November, tho' in an open Winter it may be indifferently used till the middle of February, or the time the Birds begin to couple.  
You must in this case be an early riser, and have your Nets placed before they are well come abroad from their night roosting; and this must be somewhat before the Sun is up. The most successful places are on short Barley-stubble, green Lay, or even Meadows that are dry; also in Champion ground far from any Villages or resort of People; and where the ground proves uneven, you must use your endeavour to reduce it to an evenness, that the Nets sinking into the short grass or stubble, and part of it coming thro' the Mashes, it may appear as hid, and very little to be discerned; and likewise on plain ground the Nets in drawing will close so even, that being covered, the Birds may not flicker or creep through them.  
The Nets thus placed, slaked, and corded, as has been directed, that at the smart and swift motion they may fly up and close even; there remain Directions to allure the Birds to you; and to do this, stick Poles in the ground, if the place otherwise affords not advantage, that by their playing and noise they draw the Birds to wonder 〈◊〉 them. These Giggs are to 〈◊〉 made of long Goose-feathers, 〈◊〉 manner like a Shuttlecock, ●unning with little Turnels of Wood in flat and broad Swans Quills, round like a little hoop; so that long Strings being fastened to the Pole, they will with the least breath of Wind turn and flicker in the Air, the Strangeness of which draws the Birds to gaze, as thinking it some wonderful Creature of the Airy kind.  
The next thing to be done, is to place your Stale; to do this, drive a small Stake into the ground, having a Mortice on the top of it, or very near, and into this Mortice put a piece of slender Wood about two foot long; fasten it so in the Mortice, that with a String you may move it up and down at pleasure, and tie to it a small Line which running through a ho● in the Stake, and coming 〈◊〉 your hand at the distance yo● sit, you may by it, as often 〈◊〉 you pull, mount the Stick from the ground.  
On this Stick towards thr end, fasten your Stale-Bird, as live Lark, or other suitable t● what Birds you see flocking up and down; so that by the motion of the Stick, her flickerin will make her appear as if she was flying about to feed: And indeed you must have Seeds, Corn, or Chaff, scattered near about and within the compass of your Net, by which mean● they will be alured, and with out much difficulty taken. You need not always stay for their alighting on the ground; but if they play about and swoop near it, draw up smartly, and you will not fail to cover some 〈◊〉 them; and this Stale-Bird ●eing a Lure for Hawks and ●ther Birds of Prey that will ●oop at her, if you be nimble ●●u may easily take them.  
Now particularly for the ●●rk, though it serves for o●●er Birds sometimes beside ●at I have mentioned, there 〈◊〉 Looking glass Stale, which ●y be done, and this too is ●allure them down; for horring over it, and seeing their ●●dows by reflection, they suppose it another Sky, and are so ●●led and taken with the novity, that they scarce know ●●ether they descend or ascend; 〈◊〉 this Glass must be triangu●●, and sloping every way; so at being fastened on Wood ●oportionable, with a Socket 〈◊〉 Foot, and some bright red ●●lour placed between, you must so order to draw it with Line, as it may turn swift backward and forward, which may be done in the same nature by placing it on a Frame, tha● it may hang as the Boys whi●●ling things are with a Nut, i● to which goes a String windi●● and unwinding on a Stick wi●● an Apple at the end of it, as is pulled or slackened; and th● being once seen, is easily don● and the refore I shall not be tardious in insisting on it.  
As for the Stales, place the● between the Nets about t●● foot, or somewhat more, dista●● one from the other; so th● when the Net is pulled over, 〈◊〉 Cords may not injure the● Let them stand even ove● against each other in a direr Line. The Glass must be ke●● almost continually moving, a●● the Bird made very often to fl●●ker.  
Having thus prepared things for the Sport, the next thing is to be vigilant; and for your Seat you may dig a hole in the ground knee-deep, and cast up some of the Earth before you, to shelter you as much as may be from the sight of the Fowl; and if they are such Fowl as are very shy, you may lie along, and cover the greatest part of you with Grass or Stubble. Your Drawing Lines may be twelve or fourteen yards: Lay the main Draw-line with a strong Button of Wood in it, made fast to your Thigh; and when you pull over, do it with both hands swiftly and nimbly.  
If you want living Stales, or that they prove too troublesome to keep, you may shoot a Lark, or some other Bird, take out the Entrails, stuff him with Tow, and dry him in an Oven, his Wings set in a flying posture; and so you may be furnished at all times: But the living Stale is the best, in my Opinion.  
Now as for Implements to be used on occasion, you must not go abroad without them, viz. spare Poles, Lines, and Stakes, Pack-thread of different sizes, a Knitting needle, and Pin, a Hatchet to sharpen your Stakes, a Mallet to drive them in, and Bag for your Stales, and other Birds, with a dark Cage at the end of it.  
If you Net for the smaller sort of Singing-Birds, as Li●nets, Chaffinch, Green-bird, Goldfinch, etc. have such Birds for S●ales as have been brought up to sing in Cages, on the outsides of the fall of your Nets, who refreshed with the Sunbeams will sing, and by their Melody draw others of the kind to them.  
As for the Lapwing, she is exceeding shy, and though she may dodge and play about your Nets, is not easily caught. Your Nets must be of a larger Mash, and somewhat larger for this Fowl, and between them place several dried Lapwings, or their Skins stuffed and set out as if they were pecking or sluttering, and at the head of them, which must as near as you can discern, be placed to the Wind, let there be two live Stales, give them Meat that they may be pe●king: and to enti●e those that are on the Wing to you, must have the perfect Lapwing-Call: and as soon as ever they swoop within the danger of your Nets, draw up; for if you give them leisure to discover the Deceit, they are gone again, and will be hardly induced to come any more.  
To allure Stairs to you, you must set live Stales in your Net, and in Cages; and when they are hungry, they will cry and make a calamitous noise, which will● draw such as are within hearing to their succour.   

To drive Larks and other Birds into Nets: To place Nets in Woods, Coppices, etc. for Pheasants, and other Fowl that have there their Haunts.  
THere are yet other sorts of Nets that may be used, where these large ones have not such a conveniency; and the first I shall mention of these kinds, is called by the Italians Pantiere; it may be about four els deep, and of the same Mash with the foregoing Day-nets; but than it is strung on the upper side with a Cord, on which run a row of small Rings, and to them Cords that draw them close, or spread them at pleasure; they must be supported by two or three more Stakes, according to the wideness of the place where they are set; get them ready in the Evening, driving before Sun set two hours; and for the driving in the Morning, an hour before Sun-rise. These are best in low stubble Fields, where the Larks and other small Birds frequent in flocks; and when the Net is in right order, you must have a long Rope, which must be extended and held by two Persons, one at the one end, and the other at tother; begin to draw in a direct line about two or three hundred yards, if the ground be any thing level, and admit it, walking towards the Net as near as you can in a right line over the stubble, that it may rusle, and so you may raise the Larks that scatter up and down the Field. This Rope may be between twenty and thirty yards long; they will not in this case usually take the wing, but run before the Rope, which drags bellying after them, and so you may gently drive them on into the Net, which not being strait stretched out, but easily running up, the more they struggle, the more they will be entangled.  
There is another sort of Netting in Groves or Woods, where large Nets cannot come without entangling, nor are they proper: these are properly for small Birds; but if the Pheasant can be got into it, it will hold him: The true Net must be lined with a false one, having larger Mashes, that the Birds getting through the one, may be entangled between both. The upper edge of this Net must have Iron or Horn-rings put on a strong Cord; and the true Net as well as the two false ones, on either side must be verged with a Cord: Of these Nets one, two, or three of them may be placed in the open places of a Grove, and crossing the place fastened by the two top Cords made with winding step round them to mount up, and on the top to have little holes to pass the Ropes through, and Pulleys in them to draw the Lines nimbly, and stretch out the Nets especially towards the middle, making in each Mash a kind of a Purse or Pouch, that when the Bird strikes against it, it may more readily go through the false Net, and be entangled in the real one: The bottom of the Net, or that side next the ground, must have sundry Strings hanging at it a foot distance one from another, which may be fastened to Pegs struck into the Earth, and the middle of the Net, which ought to be deeper, will fall on a heap or furls.  
The proper times for this are early before they are scattered to feed; or in the evening when they are preparing to go to roofed; and it will be proper for some one to drive the Grove and Wood with his Voice, or a Driver, rattling the Boughs, that they may be gathered towards the N●ts; and in this to hinder them from mounting and flying away, turn off a Sparrow-hawk or other small Hawk with Bells, who soaring aloft, or perching on the highest Tree, keeps them down, and greatly in awe; but this for want of a Hawk, may be done by an artificial one made with Bells, carried on the top of a high Pole.   

Of taking Sparrows, etc. with the Clap-Net.  
There is another Net used called the Clap Net, or Sparrow Net, made up of two cross Stawes, a Press Net, and two Strings, that may easily draw i● together when the Birds are in it. This Net is properly used 〈…〉 or early in the morning, by clapping it to the Eves of Houses, Barns, hovel, or Ricks of Corn, and in Autumn against Vines growing on Walls of Houses; and when it is set to any place, knock and thrust the cross Staves against it, and at the noise the Birds that roost there will be affrighted and come out, when flying into the Net, you may draw it up like a Purse; and thus you may take great numbers.   

Partridges Haunts, and of setting them.  
Partridges are most certain to be found in Cornfields whilst the Corn is standing, and till the Stubble be beaten down by cattle, and other Accidents; however, they will continue there, but not so certainly, often upon affrights taking wing for other places; and for them particularly look in Wheat-fields, which Grain above others they love: But when it is much trodden, look in Barley-stubble, and there you will find them: If any be near the Wheat-fields when the stubble is ploughed up, especially in Winter, or over-soiled with cattle, than they betake them to enclosed Grounds, or upland Meadows, lodging in the tufted Grass or Fog, under Hedges, Banks, the Roots of Trees, or among Molehills, sometimes in Coppices, Underwoods, Closes, and Enclosures, Commons, etc. that are bushy, or produce Brake, Furz, Goss, Ling, and the like. In Harvest time being often disturbed, they leave the Cornfield for the Falows adjoining, lying among Clods or Turfs turned up; at night when all is still, they go to feed in the Cornfields.  
As for finding them, many do it by the Eye, which must be by use, in distinguishing their true Colour from the Ground; others by the Cock's call, and Hens answering, and presently gathering the whole Covey together, which you may know by their chattering and rejoicing in their meeting; others take notice by the newness of their dunging, flatting the Grass or Subble, than they are just removed, and not far off. But the best way is to get their true Call in all their Notes; and than if any be near, you may be answered at pleasure, and draw them to you; but as soon as you have discovered them, move off, and take a Circle round them, see how they lie, and prepare your Nets to cover them. But if by this means you cannot find them, a Setting-dog is very proper, who will scent them out; but before you carry him into the Field, he must be approved in Obedience to your Signs and Voice; to stand still when he sees the Game, and then immediately fall on his Belly, and lie as snug with his Nose on the ground as possible. He having done thus, if you imagine him too far off, by his looking on you for Orders for what he should do more, make signs to him to go nearer, and he will crawl on his Belly, and when near enough, he will keep his eye directly on the Partridges; then is your time to be moving, and range your circumference about the Dog and Covey, to see whether it lies close together, or scattered: then make a sign to the Dog to lie still, draw out your Net, and take you one end of the top Cord, whilst another does the same to the other, and holding it stretched, run with it where the Dog fixes his eye, and let it fall on the Covey; then make a noise that they may spring up, and be entangled: lest otherwise taking to the run, they get under your Net and escape: this may be done by one Person staking down one of the Cords within distance, and drawing over the other; if they lie straggling, you ought to have two Nets: but this seldom happens. And thus you may take Pheasants, Quails, or Moor-Pouts.   

Another way to take Partridge with the Net.  
Being destitute of a Setting-dog, you must by your Eye, or the Directions before laid down find them out: Let your Nets be large, and the Mashes of such a wideness as may soon entangle, but not let the Partridge escape: and having found how they lie, draw forth your Net, and take a large circumference with a good round pace, your eye rather from than towards them, and when your Net is fitted to the purpose, draw your circumference closer, till you come within your Net's length, not making any stop, hastily plucking down your Staff of about three foot long, and fasten to it one end of the Line of your Net, then let it slip out of your hand, spreading it as you go, and so when you are over the Partridges, let it fall, and if they rise not, make a noise to affright them: and so they will be entangled and taken at your pleasure.   

The way of driving Partridges and Quails into the Tramelling Net.  
To do this, you must have a Stalking-horse artificially made with Canvas or Paste-board, either flat or stuffed, or the shape of an Ox, Stag, or some other Creature familiar to these Birds: then take your Tramelling Net, which is round and fixed on Hoops, with two Flyers to close it when the Game is entered: Fix it in the most covert and shady place you can, but so that there may be access easily to it: and let it stand with the wind: if the place allow not naturally a cover, shadow it over with Boughs, Weeds, or the like● then covering your face with something green, that they may not discern it, take your Stalking-horse, or Engine, stalk towards the Fowl a gentle pace, covering your body with it as much as may be, and they will run before you, and not be affrighted, as they will before the Horse naturally, for fear he in grazing along should tread on them. If they happen to run byways, or contrary to what you would have them, cross them, but not hastily with your Stalking-horse, and they will soon take right again, and run into the Net.  
This will do for Partridge, but for Quails you must have some Cages with live Quails in them, to call the others to them as you drive, for these run more heady than Partridges: and to make them when they come near the Net gather in a body, strew Millet or some Seeds, which increasing, will invite them to go on cheerfully: or you may drive them by one going on the one side, and the other on the other, shaking little Collars of Bells, but not making any great noise with them, lest being much afraid, they take wing, and so you lose them. This Net must be pitched before day, and the Fowl driven soon after daylight: or it may as well be done in a clear Moonshine night.   

Sundry ways for taking Pheasants, with their Haunts, etc.  
This kind of Fowl take pleasure in thick young Coppices Woods unfrequented, large, and very shady. You may find their Haunts in the daytime by looking under the Trees, or upon the Boughs in the night, and at certain Seasons by the crowing of the Cock-Pheasant. If they have a Brood, you may find them by the Cock's calling early in the morning, and late in the evening: and when undiscovered of them you perceive how they lodge, there pitch your Nets: But it would be very convenient, if you could be perfect in the several Calls of the Cock and Hen-Pheasant as to Brooding-time, a little before Sunset give them warning of danger, which will gather them together by such counterfeit Notes when they have straggled: for rejoining and playing will bring the Cock and Hen together when separated.  
Having by these acquainted yourself with their Haunts, hide yourself in the closest place you can, and then begin to call low at first, and raising your Note by degrees, not ever-straining it: If nothing presently answer you, and if there be any within hearing, you will be answered in a little time; and if you are answered by a single Note from a distance, creep nearer, as the Pheasant will do to you; and as you come nearer, lower your Note, humouring her in imitation; and when you see her on the Boughs or Ground, and she is prying to find you, cease call, and spread your Net softly and privately with much speed, in the convenientest place between you and the Fowl, upon the lowest Bushes and Shrubs, making one end fast to the Ground, and the other by a long Line held in your hand; so that when it is by anything strained, you may draw it close together in a hollow cmpass; then call again, and when you perceive her come just under your Net to seek you out, rise on a sudden, which will make her flutter up, and be instantly entangled. If more than one, or several from divers quarters answer your Call, remove not, but call on, and spread your Net as they come near you, which you will know by the continued Answers; and when they are under the Net, do as before.   

To drive young Pheasants, or Pheasant-Pouts.  
You must find where their chief Haunts are by their Dung, and the barrenness or beating the place; here you will find little Pads leading like tracks of Hares; in this open place as conveniently as you can place your Nets; then go into the thickest places, and call low, and they will answer as well as they can: cover your face and body with Boughs as far as you can conveniently, then cluck them together, but lie close that they see you not, at least to discover you, lest the amazement make them scamper into Bushes, and hide themselves in holes, out of which they will not come till their fears are over, or hunger force them.  
You must also for this purpose be provided with a thing called a Driver, made of strong white Osiers, spread like a Fan, and centring in an end as a Fan does in a handle fastened through the middle with two chains or bindings of Osier, and keeping ●ll out of sight; with this you must rake the Bushes, and you will see them presently cluster on a heap, and then run a little way and stand still: Then rake again, and they will do the like; if they go not the right way, steal about, and rake in their faces, and they will turn again; and when you have got them into the Pads, you may drive them like Sheep, if you do it circumspectly. The Net must be placed loose, hollow, and circularywise; the lower part fastened to the ground, and the upper bending, hollow and loose, that when the Fowl rush against it, it may fall and entangle them.  
If in driving you find any dismay among them, so that you fear they will run into Holes, or take wing, which you may see by their frightful gazing about, then leave off raking, and be mute till you perceive by their cluck and peeping they have recovered their fears, and then proceed again; and so do till you have attained your ends. And thus having discovered the best and surest way of taking Fowl, both of the Water and Land, by Nets, that are worth considering, I● come now to give other Directions to take them; for Nets being chargeable, every one cannot be accommodated with them, nor can they, as you have heard, be easily managed but by two or three Persons.   

To Fowl with the Piece and Stalking-Horse.  
A Barrel of five foot and a half cleaverly made taper, but by such degrees as not well discernible in particular parts, till declining to the muzzle or little end; and if they be case-hardened, they will endure better, carry much farther, and not be so apt to jar or recoil. Six foot is a sufficient length for the Barrel of any Piece, all above are unmanagable and tiresome; and though they may carry farther, the Mark is as it were beyond aim; and by reason so vast a distance of Air is to be penetrated with the Shot, it will make such an impression on, and so divide them, that there can be seldom a true level, unless with a single Bullet.  
As for the bore, it must be indifferent, not quite so big as that of a Harquebus, and so it will hold and carry the Charges to a farther level; and in this case a good and true Firelock is to be preferred before all others, because it is not so discernible to the Fowl as a Match-lock, neither so troublesome; and then again in Rain, Snow, Fogs, or windy weather there is no fear of extinguishing, as a Match often is, when you are many miles from a House perhaps, and then if you have not a Tinderbox at hand, your Sport for a time is marred: But I need not much insistion this, because Firelocks have gained the preference, and the other are rarely used.  
Your Charge of Powder must be something more than the proportion of your Shot in measure, but not in weight, at least a third part; but here I must leave it to the length and strength of your Piece, and the distance you levelly at, for the proportioning your Charge; but beware of overdoing it upon any account whatever: your Shot must be round and proportioned to the Game you shoot at: For small Birds, Seed-shot will do; but for larger, Hail-shot, or larger, as you conceive the Fowl stronger or weaker; for there are divers Fowl tho' hit, if the Wings be not disabled, or the vital Parts penetrated, will with little difficulty carry the Shot away in their Bodies, and recover their Wounds: Therefore in Shooting take these Directions.  
Always as near as you can, shoot with the Wind, for it carries the Shot much the smarter and farther; come not, if you can avoid it, in the face of the Fowl to shoot, unless you are very closely covered, but rather take her turning side-ways, so that she will be sure to be disabled, if not killed; in the Tail or behind is not so well, the Shot being apt to glance over.  
Waterfowl, as well the web footed as the cloven, are of all most shy; and therefore you must use great Policy to come near them: If there be no Banks you can creep under, Flags, Rushes, or Bushes to cover you naturally; You must make artificial Blinds, where their Haunts usually are; as near as may be cover yourself exceeding close, and have a Rest to stake in the ground, for your Gun to levelly between two Forks, that kneeling you may hold it more steady and level, without moving the muzzle in the least; for this is required if your Piece be very heavy, left the shaking your hand, or moving your head, when you have taken aim, stir the muzzle of your Piece; for the motion of half an inch from a true level, is five yards wide of the Mark in forty: and the like disappointments happen, by either moving the Piece too high or low, for never so little altars very much at a great distance, so that the Shot will ground too soon, or fly over the Fowl, affrighting, but not hurting.  
The true level on the Ground or Water, is to have the sight of the Piece equal with the head of the Fowl, and keep your open Eye (for with one you must wink, or you will never take a true level) so steady, and the butt-end so fast to your shoulder, that when it is gone off, it may remain not moved a hair's breadth; and by this means you will see what you aim at fall, if within reach; and if two of you shoot her, and there be a flock of Fowl, it will be the best for one to take them on the wing, just rising, if any escape the shot on the ground: and then your level must be three yards from the ground, a little inclining to the way you see their heads stand: but than you must take a true time for firing, which is as soon as ever he that shoots on the ground has pulled his Tricker, and flashes in the Pan, or at least if you are very near, as soon as you hear the report of his Piece.  
If you are to shoot flying at a Flock, meet them if you can in the face the way they fly, and raise the muzzle of your Piece, slaunting or rising by degrees upwards, that you may take the undermost, and so shoot slauntwise through them, so that the Shot that goes free, if any do, may fly higher than the rear of the Birds: but if you must take them on the side, observe whether the Fowl fly even in a line, make off, or towards you, or fly higher or lower: and in this case whether it be a Flock, or single Fowl, you must consider when you are within distance, and raise your Piece so, that it may be equal with her flight: but if she be at a good height, or considerable distance from you, fire as at a mark about six yards before her, and then the Shot will take her as she is passing, for if you aim directly at her side-ways, or underneath her, she will be passed away, before the Shot can reach her.  
For making a Shot at the Tree, Bush, or Bank, thatched House, or the like; the best way is to shoot at the centre or middle of the Flock, if there be many, and let the particular Bird you there aim at be hid with the muzzle of the Piece, and so you will come just in amongst them  
There are many Birds that as soon as they light on the ground, fall a running, and rarely stand still on it, as Field-fares, Thrushes, Stairs, Lapwings, etc. You must in this case observe which way they bend their course most; and when they have gathered from their spreading, if you cannot come conveniently in their face or rear, fire with a level aim at the highest part of those foremost that are next to you, and the others running on, will fall in with the Shot, if not slow, so that you cannot miss of a good shoot.  
Though this is properly accounted a Recreation, yet if well managed, it requires much Toil and Industry: for if you can get no shelter, you must lie flat on your belly, often creep on your hands and knees: and if you have not a Dog, especially to fetch your Waterfowl, you may lose them, unless you will venture into Rivers, Lakes, Brooks, Marshes over-flowed, etc. yourself: also in Land-fowling a Dog well-managed to fetch and carry, is exceeding necessary to fetch them out the Bushes and Briars, whether they will flicker or run when wounded, and be very difficult to find; and therefore a well-managed Dog is very necessary, to save you abundance of trouble, and retrieve your Game, that would be otherwise loft.  
There is one thing mainly necessary to the Piece-fowler, and that is a Stalking-horse to shelter him in his approaches to a due distance, which may be an old stayed Horse that will not start at the firing: and though he be useless for other matters, and may be bought for little or nothing, with a little training be active at this: and you must guide him with nothing but a String of a Grass-colour, or in Snowy weather white, about his nether Chap, about two or three yardslong: teach him to walk gently on the Banks of Brooks and Rivers, or in open Fields, in a grazing posture: guide him with your String, and a low Voice, towards the Game, who being used to such Creatures, will not mind him, if you keep your body very close behind him, and altogether out of sight, so that being within shot, take your aim under his neck rather than belly, kneeling on one knee, suffering the foreleg and shoulder of the Horse to cover your body. If you carry a Dog with you to fetch the Fowl, you must leave him at couch among the Flags and Rushes, or any coverture, till you whistle for him, and that then he may come speedily; for all Waterfowl, and most Land, are naturally affrighted at the sight of a Dog, though very little at the sight of any other Land creature, and then set him in to fetch the Fowl you have struck. These Horses are very good to approach Land-fowl with, if they are not on high Trees, for then at your near approach they will discern you.  
There are other things that are used for shelter in this case, as in Marshes and Rivers, to deceive Waterfowl; moving Blinds may be made of Flags, Bends, Rushes, or such things as grow there, wattled together with pack-thread or small cord, like Flags, Bends, or Rushes for Chimney-backs.  
In Fields, woody places, etc. a Bush may be so ordered and proportioned, by the addition of more, to a bigness, that carrying it in one hand, you may shelter your whole body with it: Also a Hedge may be made of Osier-twigs, and others, long and light, easily portable: likewise a Tree, behind whose pasteboard body painted you may shelter, the top being stuck with Twigs and Branches like a Tree. But these being unusual to motion, you must move with them exceeding slowly, or the Bird will take fright, and be gone.   

A way in general to take Birds with the Crown-net.  
The Crown net in all respects may be made like that for clovenfooted Waterfowl, already described pag. 8. This may be placed any where, as near a Barn-door, in Corn, Stubble, or on green Swart, in the morning or evening, where you have observed the Fowl to haunt.  
If near a Barn-door, hide it with very short and light Straw or Chaff: if in Cornfields, with the break of short Stubble: if in Grass, with Grass: then hide yourself, and when the Fowl descend and swoop, draw up with a swift hand. One of these Nets may be set at a Barn-door, where there is not room to play them, in the nature of a pitfal, gently held up by a stick with a string to it, and through a crevice: when they are under it, draw the string, which pulling away the stick, will suddenly let it fall on them: and to hasten the fall, hang some weight on the Cord that Verges it.   

An excellent way to dare and take Larks in the daytime.  
Have Nets in the form of a Scoop or Hoop-net, such as Anglers land Fish withal, made of fine green Thread, or a small Trammel-net will do better: Then carry a Hobby or Lark-Hawk on a Pole into the Fields where the Larks haunt about Harvest-time: beat them up with a Dog, and observing where the Flock alights, creep as close to them as may be: then on a sudden hold up your Hawk on your Pole, and as soon as ever they perceive him, they will be so coward, that you may easily draw your Net over them without their so much as stirring: for they are so fearful of the Hobby, which preys on them about this Season, that they will rather almost adventure to let you take them with your hand than rise. And this Sport you may continue till Michaelmas, when the wild Hobbies leave this Country, or that Exercise: and then the Lark is more confident, and not so to be affrighted.   

To know good Powder, cast round Shot of different sizes, charge your Fowling-pieco, and cleanse it when foul.  
A lesser quantity of Powder will serve, where it has been well made, and not lost she strength by being kept too long, much damped, or exposed to the Air, and to try this, lay a little Train of it on a clean board, give fire to it, and if it moves with a quick motion, going up as with one flash, though the train be five or six Inches, leaving behind it a white mark, a little inclining to bluish, than it is good; but if in going off it sputters, and moves slowly in the manner of Wildfire, leaving a black mark or sing behind it, smelling rank or too much of Sulphur, than it is either decayed or ill made, and wants much of its strength, clogging and fowling the Piece presently; the best grain is that which has a bluish gloss on it, hard and round, and will not presently dissolve on your Tongue, but carry a quick, sharp tincture with it, the smaller the grain the better; To teach you to make this will signify nothing to the Fowler, because it is too chargeable in doing it for small quantities, and may be bought at an easier rate; but for Shot, it being easy and to advantage, I shall give you proper directions.  
Pieces of old Lead may be got at easy rates, put them into a Crucible, or Iron melting Ladle, and when it is melted scum it, and then being well heated it will turn of a greenish colour, put in then as much Auripigmentum as will lie on a broad Shilling, stir it, and it will flame, after it extinguishes, try it by putting in a little Iron Ladle with a Lip or Nick, and taking out some, let a few drops fall into the Water, if it become round, there is Auripigmentum enough, if it has tails, put more till it will do.  
This done you must have a Copperplate square, the bottom thin, and the sides that stand up like a Pie thick, in the middle have thirty or forty round holes drilled, lay Charcoal lighted on either end the Plate to keep it hot, place it on two Bars of Iron over a Tub of Water, and then pour on the Lead, and dropping through the holes into the Water, it will become round, if it cool on the Plate blow the Coals, and taking off the cooled Lead, melt it over again, and pour on hot.  
You may in one Plate have several sized holes, and separate the Shot with Sieves proportionable to the respetive sorts or sizes.  
For clearing a Piece when furred and fouled with Firing, to make it carry well, or prevent breaking, dissolve a little Salt in Vinegar over a gentle fire; Then to the Horney end of your Gun-stick, fasten a Rag, or little Wisp of Tow, stop the Touchhole with a small Pin of Wood, pour the Vinegar in pretty warm, as much as will a quarter fill the Barrel, then turning it up and down, shake it well, then lay it on a level Table, and let it lie for a time, pour out that and put in fresh, then churn it up and down with your Gun stick and Lineament, put in more till it comes out clear, then tie on a dry Lineament, heat it at the fire, and dry the inside of the Barrel, put the Cork then into the Boar, and set it in the Chimney Corner till it be thoroughly dried.  
As for Charging, the readiest way to prevent often pulling out your Powder, to catch a dampness, is to make even Cartrages, which will be a due charge, and make them up in Moulds like Serpents, but with a very thin Paper about them, so that being presently taken from your Pouch and thrown in, have a little Priming-Wire to boar the Touchhole, and after that do the like by the Shot, so that it both carries farther, and saves you much time, the Shot by this means coming out closer, and more level.   

Directions to make the best Birdlime for Land and Water, and how to keep it from Freezing.  
There is yet another way to take Fowl, much approved of, that is with a Clammy or Glewy substance, called Bird-●●●●, 〈◊〉 the which it will be proper 〈◊〉 give you directions to make, before I proceed to the use of it.  
About Mid summer, or when the Sap is full, bark well-grown Holly, and having stripped off a considerable quantity, put it into a Kettle, and boil it in fair Water till the White and Grey Bark part, and rise from the Green; then take the Green, and lay it on a heap on Tiled or Stone Floors, in a moist place, either in a low Vault or Cellar; cover it over with Weeds, and let it putrify, which at ten or twelve days end it will do, turning into a slimy matter, it will be convenient in this case, to lay a Layer of ●●rn between each Layer of the Bark, and when this is done, beat it ●n a Mortar till nothing but slime remain, so that it may 〈◊〉 wrought like Wax, no part●●● the Bark being to be discer●●●, then in a running Stream▪ 〈◊〉 so well wash it, that no mote or husks of any thing remain; After this knead it into a Glazed Earthen Vessel, with a Cover so close that the Air cannot come at it, and there it will purge and fume up its Scurf, which when it has done in fire or six days, scum it off, and do so till no more arise, then shift it into another clean vessel and keep it for your use.  
When you use it, put a third part of Hogs-grease, Goose-grease, or any thin grease into it, and stir it over a gentle fire in an earthen vessel till well Incorporated, then take it off, and continue stirring till it become cold.  
This done, take your Rods or what you intent to anoint with it, warm them at the fire, and strip them over with it twice or thrice, so that it may lie of an equal evenness, and not in clots, often warming the Rods to make it spread, and be the less to be perceived by the Fowl you design them to Entangle.  
If you Lime Straws, you may do them the same way, but many together, turning and opening them before the fire, till they are well smeered, that they may hold and entangle well.  
In Cold Frosty Wether, mix it with Oil of Petrollum or Spike, to prevent Friezing, and to keep it clammy.  
To make it usful in the Water, put to it in the working with Grease, sharp Vinegar, about half a quarten to a pound, a spoonful or two of train-oil, and a little Venice Turpentine, and boil them gently over a Fire with continual stirring, as before.   

To take Water Fowl of divers kinds, with Lime-Rods, the manner of ordering and placing them to the best advantage, etc.  
To take Waterfowl with Limed Twigs, let the Twigs be straight and long, and even as peeled Osiers, etc. light and slender, pliable to play in the Wind, greater or smaller, according to the strength of the Fowl you lay them for, smeer them as directed.  
Go to the haunts an hour before day, and if you can get it, stake down for a Stale, a live Fowl of the same kind you lay for, with liberty to flutter at pleasure, then prick lightly rods in rows about her, a foot distance from one another, and sloping, bending their points to the Wind, or some opposite, the tops a foot or better from the Ground, then if you have them, place a Stale or two distant from the twigs, and then conceal yourself, having a string fastened to each Stale, to make it flutter as you see occasion, which will make the Fowl in sight come to them, swoop among them, and be entangled by the Rods; you must have a good Water-Dog to fetch them, if they flutter away with your twigs, and if you leave them, and any of the twigs be missing, send out to the Water, Marsh, or River Banks, Rushes, etc. to scent the Fowl out where hid, for if well taken, she cannot disentangle or fly away.  
This is the proper way for the Clovenfooted Waterfowl, as Heron, Bitteron, etc. but for the Webfooted, they are better placed in the Water than on the Land, in shallow places, the Limed part standing above the Water, so thick that the Fowl may not easily creep between them, fixing a Stale or two to decoy them thither; let your Rods for this be green, the better to deceive; when one Haunt fails, you must remove to another.  
In Winter time when no Snow lies, the Wild-geese and Barnacles resort to the green Wheat to Graze, here you must prick down large Rods in the Furrows, as near the colour of the Earth as may be, and choose those Furrows where there is Water; you must in this case not be far off, but concealed, and presently run in when you see any rise, for then some are entangled, whose fluttering has scared the rest, and if any flutter away, send your Dog after, or if there be any Fenny places or Waters near, you will go near to lose them.   

Another way to take Land and Water Fowl, viz. with Lime-strings.  
Observe the Haunts and time as before; then in the same manner prick your Limed Rods slanting in even rows, so that the tops may be within a foot and a half of the ground, over the haunts, one Row a yard distant from another; then have sticks with Forks to stand pretty high, and cross sticks over them, than Lime Strings, as you did your Twigs, placing them some rows higher than others waving, and fasten the ends with a sliding Loop, so that if the Fowl press upon them, and they are strained, they may loosen and lap about them; and this way particularly you may furnish yourself with store of Plover, or any other Fowl that fly in broad Flocks, swooping close by the ground at some distance before they light.  
These strings being smeered with Strong-water, tried Lime, made as I have directed for that purpose, you may take Waterfowl that are whole-footed, or webfooted, by hanging your Strings on Beams over the Water; for if they strain them in flying, they will so entangle them, that they will presently fall; and these are best set in the darkest and most covert places; so that not discerning them, in their spreading to descend into the Water, many of them may be taken at once; you must have here a Dog or Boa●, or else, when they are taken you will be at a loss to recover them.   

Snipes, how to take with Water-Bird-lime, etc. also Larks.  
These are best taken in hard Frosty Wether, for than they are most to be found flocking to Springs where the Water is open, for they cannot, by reason of their Bills length and tenderness, feed in hard places; then take small Birch Twigs and Lime them, stick them in great numbers all about the place where it is most likely they should light, at a moderate distance, then hide yourself, and when they light in such a manner, with open spread Wings, but few of them will miss your Twigs; and if you see any of them taken, do not presently run in, for they will hop and seed with the Twigs under their Wings, and so be a Stale for the rest: but when you think they are most of them Limed, then is your time to take them up, and keep two or three of them for Stales.  
If there be several open places near, hunt them to that you have Limed, if you have not help to attend them all; for as soon as they are raised from one, they fly to another, at some reasonable distance, unless they be very much affrighted; however, in a little time they will come again; this when the Snow lies on the ground, is very practicable.  
For the Lark likewise, in Snowy weather, use the same Method; but because her haunt is in open Fields, you must sweep away the Snow pretty broad, where it is not Ploughed, but Stubbly, there scatter the refuse of Wheat-Threshing but lightly, set your small Twigs, and hunt them to the place; which when they s●e bare, they will presently flock to it, and be taken: if you bore two places in like manner, at two hundred yards or thereabouts distance, those that escape taking at the one, will fly to the other, and so in a little time you may have the whole flock of them.   

Land-Fowl not mentioned, how to take them with Bird lime; and first the Pheasant.  
This is a strong Bird, and your Lime-rods must be proportionable, at least a foot long, only Limed the upper half; for this work you must have a Limebush, containing not above eight Twigs, which may be the top-branches of some Willow very young, and there must be a handle to it with a sharp Peg, to stick in the ground, or prick it into some Shrub, whereabout the Pheasant haunts, or in a Tree where they perch; you may place two or three of these at a little distance, and then hide yourself and begin to call as has been directed Page 40. and those within hearing, will by degrees advance to the place, in hopes to find one of their Companions; and by hopping, fluttering, and peering about, no doubt but some of them will fall upon the Limebush, and their fluttering draw the rest to gaze, and wonder what is the matter, or perching and peering to discover any one near, they will happen on the other Bushes; and as many Rods as are missing, so many Pheasants are entangled, and if they get away, you must throw in your Spaniels to search for them, for if they be not found, they will creep into holes and starve, as has been often known; and because in the Winter the Old Pheasants are shy, and will not come from the Trees, you must fix your Bushes there, in the most convenient Pearching-places, so that hopping up and down, and prying, they will be entangled; this way may be successfully used, from the beginning of November to the latter end of March, or till the Leaves put out, and then you must desist, for it will easily be discovered.   

How to take Pigeons, Crows, Pies, etc. with Lime-twigs.  
For the first, you must be provided of two Pigeons for your Stale, and with what quantity of Twigs you please; about Sunrising place them on the ground in Rows where the Pigeons haunt, these Twigs must be pretty small, and placed so that they may not fray the Fowl with the Novelty, place your Stales in the middle, and scatter some Corn for them to feed, and if there be good flights near, they will throw themselves headlesly down, so that you may take great numbers; and here you need but stand at a pretty distance, and not hide, for these Birds are not very shy, unless Turtles or Wood Pigeons, which must be laid for in their proper haunts, viz. Woods, Coppices and such places as they frequent.  
For Crows and Pies, and other Birds of Prey that feed on Flesh, place your Lime-twigs on the Carcase of a dead Horse newly stripped, or any other dead Beast that has not long been so, that you shall find in the Lanes and Fields, small and thinly scattered; and descending on the Carcase, they will hop up and down, till▪ fluttering, the Twigs take their Wings, and then they may be taken up; but the sport, is the Hood-way of Liming, viz.  
If Crows or Roo●s waste your Corn, and you are willing to be even with them, take a large Sheet of Cap brown Paper, cut it in four equal quarters, Lime it on one side, then turn it on your Fingers like a Sugar-loaf Paper, broad at one end, Taper at the other, do many of these, and running a Pin cross, with a piece of Liver, Lights or other sort of Raw-Flesh, about three parts deep, make little holes in the Ploughed ground by the Furrow sides, and put the little ends into them, letting the wide stand upright, almost even with the ground, and as they stalk along seeing or scenting the Flesh, they will thrust in their Heads to get it, than the Limed Paper sticking close to them, finding themselves blindfolded, they will rise to a great height, and then in a maze immediately fall down again, so that you may take them up.   

To take Feldfars and Stairs with Birdlime.  
After Michaelm●s this Bird is in season for Game, then if you can, get two or three live ones, if not, shoot them for Stale, and let them so stiffen in their cooling, that they may be in a sitting posture; then take a considerable number of Birch twigs, which cut off from a Bough, make little clefts or holes in the stumps, and so cut the lower end of the Twigs, viz. sharp, round, or sliced, that they may be placed in them, as if they were naturally fastened to the Bough, make it spread as branching as you can, than set your Stales on the solid Bough in the middle, some distance from each other, set it then before day, where they usually come in the Morning betimes to feed, for they mostly keep a constant place, till they have consumed the food there, and then they remove to another; and if they espy the Stales, they will immediately light upon the Bush if it be placed high, and sing in their manner, as if they enquired of them, whether any danger is near, when unawares they are in it, for the Twigs sticking to their Wings, and other Feathers as they flutter, will draw out from the Bush, and hold them fast.  
As for Stairs or Starlings, the best way to deal with them, is with small Limed Strings, only about a handful you tie to the Legs of the Stairs you catch must not be Limed, and when you see a Flock, let these go, and they will confusedly fly among them with the Lime-strings, so that they will fall down, and tumble over and over, then with a Broom when they are low, or tumble, you may easily cover and secure them; tho' this is more for pleasure than profit; you may likewise have the same pastime, by tying it to the Tail of the Stairs you have taken, and indeed this will take with most Birds that cluster in Flocks, close and near together: for the Stairs when they light, or fly are very close, every one coveting and crowding to get into the middle Centre.   

How to Lime Partridges.  
Take a handful or more of the largest Wheat-straws, cut them off at every knot, take the two lower joints only, Lime them over smoothly, and find out their haunts by the directions page 28. then call a little, and when they answer, prick down your Straws in rows sloping, the upper ends four or five Inches from the ground, both cross the Lands and in the Furrows, then lie down near these Straws, covered with Stubble or Grass, if no Bushe● afford shelter; then call them, and cease not till you have drawn them to you; so that passing through the Limed Straws, they will be entangled, and those that miss, will be daubed by the other when they come crowding, and justling close up like Chickens, that scarcely any of the company will escape; the proper time for this is after Harvest, in Stubble Fields, and it may be continued till Christmas; but in Woods and Pastures, you must use the small Birch Rods, prick●●ng them as the Straws, call in ●he same manner, and order every thing accordingly.   

To take all sorts of small Birds with the Limebush or Twigs.  
Take a Branch that spreads much with very small Sprigs, as ●irch, Willow, Poplar, or Sallow, let the Stem of it be pret●●● long, and have some Stales 〈◊〉 stand in sight of such Birds, ●hose Flights are most usual in ●ose places, Lime the Twigs ●eatly over, unless those the ●tales are fastened on, and watch in some covert place the flocking of the Birds, having one at a distance with a Clapper or something that will make a noise, to drive them that way; and if two or three light, mind them not, but when they are entangled they will serve as Stales for the rest; and so when they are in any number entangled, down with the Bush, and seize them in a Bag or Sack; a live Owl, or the figure of her exactly painted, is a good Stale to draw them to wonder at, and in the heat of persecuting her, they will be taken by Twigs, and find there is nothing got by being quarrelsome.  
If they are slow in coming, you must in the covert where you lie hid, use your Bird-Call or Mouth; and this you must learn to do by hearing each Bird's Note, and often practising to bring yourself to imitate; you may take them with Lime-twigs only, setting them before day as has been often directed, in the general haunts where they feed, which is a ●ittle after daybreak, at farthest about Sun-rise; or you may place the Lime-twigs all along ●he Hedges where they roost, ●ome slope-wise, others upright, some cross and very near together, that when they return from feeding, they may be entangled, or if they return not ●olunatarily, you may go into ●he Fields adjacent, and drive them to the Hedges, this may ●e done an hour after Sun-rise, and as much before it Set.   

Another excellent way to take small Birdg.  
Take three handfuls of large Wheat-Ears, let the Straw remain to them a foot long, only Liming that, and not the Ears, then stick them up in hard Frosty weather, that the Ears may hang, and the Straws bend as it were Arch-wise; do this if it may be in Snow, and scatter a little Chaff over it, fasten down a Stale if you have it, of the same kind you desire most to take; let the Ears be spread single, and when the Birds flock to pick them, or attempt to fly away with them, the Straw to be sure laps one Wings, and brings the Bird down again; so that this way you may take great numbers; for Sparrows, you may fix them on the Tops of Barns or Thatched Houses, and not only get the Birds, but some abundance of Corn by destroying them.   

To take Waterfowl with Snares and Sprindges.  
You must as in other cases find the Haunts and usual Feeding, well observing the Water Tracts and Furrows where they usually go, especially where many Furrows meet, which you may perceive by their Paddles and Worms, Floagrass, and such other things as they like, being there, and when you find the meeting Furrows come as it were into one narrow stream or passage, and then divide into other Branches and Parts, deepest always in the middle, these are sufficient grounds to believe you may have here good Gaive, especially near Rivers or 〈◊〉 and in the Centre of these, where most Paddles are, you must place your Instruments, stopping all other avenues with Bushes, Sedg, Flags, or any thing that will make little Fences about a handful above the Water, and then the Fowl unless on fright, will keep the direct road, and not pass over them  
This done, the next business is, to take a long stiff young Plant, taper to the end, not apt to break, but pliable to bend, of Holly, Hazle or Yew, sharpen it at the great end, and fasten a Swivel-loop on the Top, then pitch it in the place you design to expect your Game, and proceed to make a Line of Horsehair, in strength by the number of Hairs, sufficient to take, and hold, the Fowl you design it for; fasten this to the Loop on the top of your Plant, and let it be a little more than half the length of it, with a running Noose, then bend a Hazle loopwise, in an Oval or Egg fashion, but lesser at one end; let the bending be greater or smaller, according to the proportion of the Fowl; and this is called the Bridge, because it answers as the Bridge does in a Mousetrap, hard by the Swickle or Loop; fasten within an inch and a half of the bend Plant, a little Tricker, broad and thin, as is usual to a Mousetrap, then lay your Loop of Hazle cross the Tricker, and hang the bow-end of it on a Hook or Peg driven into the ground, on one side the tract; & the stalk or other end of it, you must put underneath the bout of the first mentioned bow-stick; and near to the end of the stalk cut a nick, than six the long hazle plant, viz. the great end, strongly in the Earth, that it may not give way on the side of the Bank, where the Track is, and bring the smaller strongly bowed, till the Tricker, by putting one end of it under the bout of the first mentioned stick, and the other end in the stalk of, or end of the Bridge, may be fastened, and keep the plant strongly bend down.  
This done, lay the Loop of Horsehair on the Bridge, conveniently wide, but so as it may not well be discerned, and then the Fowl coming, and treading in the middle of it on the Bridge, it will slip away, and the feet of the Fowl be caught in the Loop, by the sudden and smart rising of the hazle-plant; and thus according to the strength of the plant, you may take the largest Fowl that this Island affords.   

The manner of Batfowling.  
Having observed where the Birds in great numbers Roost in Hedges, Shrubs, or Trees, go thither in a dark Night, and have a Wicker with a handle to hold on high, in which you can place three or four Links, at half a foot distance; make a Circle of them if you have enough, light the Links when you come at the place, and if it be in a hedge, let one go with a pole, and beat the contrary side, and one or two be with you, carrying long Bushes; and when they are unroosted with beating, they will come flying about the light, so that those with the Bushes, may easily strike them down; if in a Wood, or among Shrubs and Furs, let one of each side you beat at a pretty distance, this must be in a fair still Night.  
Or you may pitch down a Limebush as in pag 85. and hold your blaze or light by it; and being roused, they will fly about it, to wonder at the light, and be entangled, that you may easily take them.   

Lowbelling.  
This must be chiefly practised in open Countries, from the end of October till March is the the properest season, and the manner is thus.  
In a still Evening about Eight of the Clock, when the Moon shines not, take your Low-Bell of a moderate size, that it may be well managed by one man in one hand, having a deep and hollow sound; have also a Net with small Mashes, twenty yards long, and so broad that five or six ordinary Lands may be covered with it, and go into Fields where the Stubble has not been much trod, but is something high and fresh, especially Wheat-stubble; let the Bellman go foremost, and Toll it distinctly and dolesully, letting it strike but now and then on each side, and follow with the sour corners of the Net born up; and on each side, than another must carry a Pan of live Coals without any blaze, and pitching your Net where you suppose the Game is, make little Bundles of Stubble, and set them on a blaze; or you may carry Links for that purpose, then with Poles and some noise, rouse the Fowl, if any be under the Net; so that being entangled, you may take them, than put out the Lights, go to another haunt; in this case the noise of the Low-bell astonishes them, and makes them lie still, but the light causes them to rise, by dazzling and affrighting them, but you must make no other noise till you suppose your Nets are over them.   

To take Birds another way, by Lights.  
Take a Net of an ordinary Mash, fasten it to two green pliant Willows, as thick as a Man's Finger, and about three yards long, fasten these to a square Bastion about two yards and a half long, in two holes some what distant the one from the other, and cover likewise with the Net; it serving for a handle to carry and manage it, and the form may be square or round, resembling a Racket: this carry before you ready spread, than another must go close by your side with a Lantern, having but one Light before it, all the rest dark, so that you may see the Birds, and they not you, and whilst they are gazing and wondering, clap the Net over them, and making a noise, they will rise in it and entangle; this may be done with a Lantern, with a round glass in the front of it, like a Lamp-light, easily portable.   

To take Birds with the Trammel.  
The Trammel is little different from the Lowbelling Net, though it may be somewhat longer, but not broader; when you come near their haunts spread it on the ground, plum the hinder part with Lead, that it may trail on the ground, but the two foreparts carried up by men about a yard from the ground, and one on each side the Net, must go with blazing lights, others with bushy poles to beat up the Fowl as you go, and so as they rise will entangle, and so you may trace a vast deal of ground in a few hours.   

The Art of taking Fowl with Baits, and of Trap-Cages.  
This mostly is to be done to Birds of Prey, either on Fish or Flesh, though other may be taken.  
The Heron is a great destroyer of Fishponds, and to take her this way, find the water she haunts, then get three or four small Dace or Roach, and draw a smooth Wire just withinside their skins, beginning on the outside of their Gills, run it to the Tail, fasten it to a Line strong twisted with Wyre and Green Silk, three or four yards, stake the end of the Line in the ground, that the Fish may play in the shallow, where the Heron can wade, and arm the end of the Wire, with a convenient large Fish-hook, and when the Heron stalks into the Water for her Prey, she will greedily swallow the Fish if alive, or else not, and so be taken with the hook, but if the Line be only Silk, she will with her sharp Bill bite it in sunder and escape.  
Thus Wild-Ducks are taken, baited with Worms, Lights, or the like; Ravens, Buzzards, Kites, and divers other Fowl, with Nux Vomica dissolved in Lees of Wine, and made up into little Pellets, scattered or rolled up in Carrion, or such things as they take, for flying up after, it suddenly works, and stupefies them so, that they fall down again, and may be taken up, but if they lie long, they will recover and fly away.  
Such Grain as Birds feed on, steeped or boiled in Spirits of Wine, will have the same effect on them, if you watch them a little when they fall, and be quick in taking them up.  
As for Linnets, Robins, Goldfinches, Nightingales, and such choice Singing Birds, you may take them in Trap-Cages, placed in their haunts, and baited with Seeds, Worms bred on Herbs, Ant-eggs, Flies, or the like, and these Cages may be bought ready made at easy rates, to save you trouble in making them, and me the like in describing them, few being ignorant what they are. And thus much for Fowling in general and particular.   

To make Birds Sing in Autumn and Winter.  
About the beginning of May, let them be well purged with Beet, by mingling the Juice with their Water; after that for a space give them no Water at all, but hang fresh Beet-Leaves in their Cages, often renewing it, and spread the bottom of the Cage with fine sifted Gravel and Earth, and by degrees use them to darkness for ten days, by darkening the place one day more than another, till they are quite dark.  
And let one certain person that seeds them, only come at them with a Candle once in three days, to give them clean Water and their Feed, cleanse their Cages▪ etc. and here it would be convenient to have two Cages, that a change may be made every twenty days; every fourth day give them the Leaves of Beet, and every tenth the Juice as before, lest you endanger their being blind.  
In this manner keep them till about the tenth of August, then new purge them after the manner first described, and then by degrees accustom them to the Light, but expose them not for a considerable time after, to the Beams of the Sun, lest thereupon they become blind.   

Diseases incident to Singing-Birds, and their Cures.  
Blindness radicated and confirmed, cannot be remedied, but at first when you perceive their Eyes begin to Water, you may remedy it by giving them Sugar dissolved in the juice of Beet, every other day for four days, and putting upright in the Cage a smooth Twig of a Figtree, to rub their Eyes against, which by instinct of Nature they will do.  
For the Falling sickness, if they escape the first fit, cut their Claws to the quick, and sprinkle them with sweet wine, and let them not come in the heat of the Sun all the Summer.  
If their Legs or Wings happen to be broken or splintered, take away the Perch, and set their Meat and Water in the bottom of the Cage, and keep them where no Company comes to affright them; and they will so order those parts with their Bills, and by favouring them, that they will naturally grow together again.  
The Physic is a distemper that distends the Breast-Veins, whilst their Flesh falls away, and their Bellies swell as if Dropsical; for this, or any Swellings, Inflammation, Imposthume, Hydropical distemper, or Gout, purge them with Beet, as before directed.  
For the Aphthaes, or small Ulcers in the Mouths of Birds; boil Pompion-seeds in Water, and give them the Water cool to drink, for three or four days, and when they begin to mend, give them fine Loaf-sugar dissolved in their Water.  
The Pip is known by a hardness on the Tongue at the end, seldom incident to Birds that feed on Seeds. To remedy this, open the Birds Bill, and take off the hard film with a fine Needle from the tip of the Tongue, rake the sides of the Bill, and give him as in the foregoing Diseases.  
Diseases in the Rump make the Bird Melancholy, and abstain from Singing, and when you observe this, cut off the sharp part that lies on the top of the Rump, give him cleansing things in his Meat, and those in his Water that are Cordial and Refreshing, as the Juice of Raspberries, Mulberries, or the like.  
For the Scouring or Flux of the Belly, take away the Tail-feathers, and the small ones about the Vent, anoint it with Olive-Oil or Capon's Grease; and if they be hard-beaked Birds, instead of Rape or Hempseed, give them Pompion-seeds, or Seeds of Red-Beets, for two or three days; but if soft-beaked the Yolks of Eggs hard boiled.  
For Moulting, or unseasonably Casting their Feathers; sprinkle them twice or thrice a week with Wine not overstrong, then set them in the Sun to dry, and hang Greene's over their Cage.  
For Scouring; give them Water wherein hot Iron has been quenched; for Costiveness, put a small Quill anointed with Oil into the Birds Fundament, once or twice a day for two days, and those days give them the Juice of Beet.  
To quicken them to Sing, give them Linseed, mingled with the Kernel of Pine-Apples, small pounded; put in their Water two or three shives of Saffron, and hang agreeable Greene's about their Cage.  
For Hoarseness, and loss of Voice, give them the Decoction of Injubes and dried Figs, for two or three days; let them be decocted or boiled in fair Spring-Water, give it for two days, and the next two or three days, the Juice of Beet; and if in Summer, for the advantage of the Dew, let them be all Night in the open Air.  
For the Asthma, or Shortness of Breath; drop two or three drops of Oxymel, with a Feather into the Throat of the Bird, mingle some of it wi●h his Water, and drop white Sugar-Candy in it to dissolve.  
For tumors or Imposthumes in the Head; Cauterise the place with a small Hot-Wyre, anoint it with olive-oil mingled with Wood-ashes; but before you do this, give them some Juice of Beet in their Water.  
To preserve Birds of all kinds in health, purge them once a Month with Pompion-seed, the husk taken off; Lettuce, Succory, Beet, Pimpernel, or the Herb Mercury, which last is proper to the Linnet; to such Birds as are naturally inclined to dust themselves, put Sand or Dust in their Cages at certain seasons, but let it not long remain there, for this dusting rids them of Lice, and other Vermin incident to them; and those that are of a hot nature, and desire the Water, set them water to wash in, within their Cage, that they may do it voluntarily and uncompelled.  
Birds fed with Paste, and soft Meats, must have their Water and Meat set within the Cage fixed, that they do not overthrow them; in Winter put to them broken Straw, and in Summer sweet and cooling Gravel finely sifted; for this latter, by their picking up small Stones out of it, opens Obstructions, and prevents many Diseases: the Birds that are abroad doing it by a natural instinct, to prevent sickness, so that they have always such stones in their Gizzards.  
Keep their Cages neat, and put their Plumes in order, when you perceive them straggling or staring by their fluttering: keep wild Birds dark at the first.   

Diseases in Poultry, and their Remedies.  
For the Pip: in opening the Bill you will find on the tip of the Tongue a thin Scale growing, which hinders their feeding, and makes them sicken by leanness and falling away, this usually proceeds from their drinking foul water; to remedy it, pull off the Scale with a fine Needle, or your Nail, if it be long and sharp; scrape the sides of the Bill, to take off the scurf, and then with Salt and Vinegar wash the Fowls mouth.  
For the Flux: this is occasioned by too much moistness of Meat; for the cure of it, boil Pease and Bran in Water wherein a few Slows have been boiled, mash them, press out the Water hard, and give the Pease and Bran to the Fowl first in a Morning.  
For the Rup: this Disease causes a swelling on the Rump, and if not taken care of in time, will corrupt and affect the whole body; it is perceived by the writhing or turning of the Feathers backward, which as soon as you do, pull them away, and with a fine Pen● knife open the Sore, and press it between your Thumb and Fingers, and there will squeez● out a Coat, then bathe the wound with Salt and Water and in a few times doing it wil● be well.  
For Li●e: these mainly afflict Poultry, and much impoverish them; for a remed● therefore beat Pepper, an● boil it in Water, and with th● Water when warm, wash the● all over.  
For any stoppage in the Belly, etc. anoint a quill with Oil of Almonds, or Olive Oil, thrust it a first and second day up their Vents, and give them Linseed among their Meat.  
For defects in the Eyes, take two or three Leaves of Ground-Ivy, chew it in your Mouth, then squeeze out the Juice, and anoint the sore Eyes with it, mixed with fasting-spittle.  
For any Stinging with Nettles, or Venomous Creatures, mix the Juice of Rue and Butter, till you make them into an Ointment, and anoint.   

For the stopping in the Belly.  
This stoppage in Poultry, is contrary to the Flux, so that they cannot move, therefore anoint the Vent, and give them small bits of Bread, or Corn steeped in Man's Urine.   

For the Crow-trodden.  
If your Hen be trodden with a Crow or Rook, as often they are, you will know it by the staring up of her Feathers, and the hanging of her Wings; give her for this, the Juice of Garlic, Butter, and the Juice of Lawrel-leaves, in little Pills; though if she be fat, the best way is to put her to the Spit or Pot, for this misfortune is rarely cured, that is, so that the Hen may thrive afterwards.    

Divers useful Experiments, relating to Poultry.  

For a Hen that Crows.  
This sometimes happens, though it is unnatural; therefore to remedy it, pull her Wings, and give her to eat, either Barley scorched, or small Wheat, and for several days keep her close from other Poultry.   

To make a Hen Lay soon, and fast.  
To do this, feed her often with Toasts taken out of Ale or strong Beer, boil Barley and Spelted-Fitches, and give them to her, and it will cause her to Lay well in a little time.   

To keep a Hen from Sitting.  
If for the sake of Laying or Fattening her, you are not desirous to have your Hen Sat, bathe her in cold water, and run a small Feather through her Nose.   

To prevent a Hens eating her Eggs.  
If your Hen be subject to eat her Eggs, make a piece of Chalk in the likeness of an Egg, lay this in her Nest, and when she has pecked at it till tired, and lost her labour, she will for the future avoid it, as concluding it fruitless.   

To keep a Hen from growing too Fat.  
Too much Fatness spoils their Laying, or produces Eggs without Shells, or else very small ones; to remedy this then, to keep them Lean, or in good Plight for Laying, mix their Meat and Water with the Powder of Tile shards, or Chalk, and give them Tares twice or thrice a week, and your design will be answered as well as can be desired.   

How to make a Capon Led and Brood Chickens.  
Let him be lusty, that he may be the better able to defend them against the Kite, than shut him up in some close place with them for some time, and if he refuse to brood them, sting his Breast and Rump with Nettles, and then their running under him, taking the smart away with their heat, will Inure him to it, so that being let abroad he will be familiar with them.    

The Speediest way to Fatten Poultry.  

To Feed, and Cram Capons, Fat them, etc.  
TAke Farley-meal reasonably sifted, mix it with New Milk, mould it well, make it into stiff dough, and make it into proportionable Crams, big in the middle, and small at both ends, so that it may slip into the Craw without straining; wet them in warm Milk, and give them a full Gorge Morning, Noon and Night, and in a fortnight or three weeks, he will be as Fat as need be desired.   

To Feed, and Fatten Turkeys and Geese.  
To Fatten this sort of Fowl, sod Barley or Oats for the first fortnight, and for another fortnight Cram them as the Capon.  
To Fatten Geese, especially those that are five or six months old, when they have been in the Stubble-fields, during the time of Harvest, and got good flesh, then choose out such as you would feed, and put them into several close and dark Pens, feed them thrice a day with Oats, and Spelted Beans, and let their Water be well dusted with Barly-meal, it standing always near them, and by this means they will be very sat in three weeks.  
As for Green Geese, after they are a month or six weeks old, boil Shag-oats, and feed them with that Seed plentifully, Morning, Noon and Night, and with good store of Milk, or Milk mixed with Water.   

To Feed, and Fatten Hens, Pullet's, and Cocks.  
Give them sodden Barley and Bran, mixed with the Water wherein they were boiled; keep them close Cooped up, let them have plenty of this for a sortnight with Water, and they will be well fleshed and fatted.  
To Cram Chickens, take corpse Wheat-meal, mix it with Milk, and make it into a Paste, and let it be rolled up; made into Crams suitable, big enough in the middle to swallow, and taper at both ends, and strew Parsley and other Greene's about the Coop, that they may pick it up, also to all the Poultry put a little fine, sweet Gravel into their Coop, in a Dish by itself, or in their Water.   

To Fatten Duck● Wild or Tame.  
Pull out the two Fore-quills, and Tail-quills, so that they cannot fly high, put them in a walled, or well fenced place, where there are Osiers, Reeds, or Sedges in, or by the side of the Pond, or Water, that they may delight in; and twice a day, that is, Morning and Evening, give them scalded Bran, Oats and Fetches, the Guts of Fowl cut short, pieces of Liver, Lights, or the like.   

Swans, their Feeding.  
Feed these in all sorts as directed for Geese, though they will take up a longer time to Fatten, as seven or eight weeks, either Coop them up, or let them walk in some private Court; but if you are for Fattening them in haste, let it be in a Pond well fenced in, where they may land at pleasure, and place two Troughs, one full of water and Barley, and the other of old dried Malt; and by this means keeping themselves clean, they will thrive much the better.   

To Fatten Pigeons, Partridges, Pheasants, etc.  
As for Pigeons, let them have Pease, Tares, and store of clean Water, and in the Rooms where they are, have a Salt-pot, viz. Bay salt, mixed with Coriander and Fenelseeds baked, for them to pick at, or that which is gathered from Salt-Petre is the best, give them fine sifted Gravel, or Sand, and they will soon grow sat.  
For the Partridge and Pheasant, also the Quail, feed the two first in one room, where you may have little Boxes, that they may at pleasure hide themselves, and in the midst of their room, if there be any number of them, have three Wheat-sheaves, one with its Ears downwards, and two with theirs upwards; also near them set small vessels of Water, that pecking out the Corn, they may drink at pleasure, and so they will grow fat.  
As for the Quails, feed them in long, slat, shallow Boxes, each box holding a dozen or two of them, the foremost sides being set with Pins, so thick that they may only put out their heads; then before that open side, place a Trough of small Chilter-wheat, and another with Water, and so in a fortnight or three weeks, you will have them exceeding fat.   

Godwits, Knots, Grey, Plover or Curlews.  
To keep these alive, feed, and fatten them, get the finest Chilter-wheat, give it them with Water, Morning, Noon and Night; but for speedy fatting them, take fine Wheat-meal, mix it with Milk, and make it up into little C●ams, sprinkle into it small grains of Chilter-wheat, till the grains are sufficiently mixed with the Paste, and give it them, giving to every Fowl proportionable to his bigness and stomach.   

The order of Feeding Black birds, Thrushes, Fieldsars, Larks, and other small Birds.  
If you take any of these wild, and not out of the Nest, to ●nure them to feed in Coops or Cages, put them with some ●ame Birds of their kind; let their Cages be large, place several Troughs in them, filled with Haws, Hempseed, Wheat, Barley, etc. and so finding every thing agreeable to them, when their sullen is over, they will feed well, and quickly be fat.   

To Fatten Herons, Puits, Gulls and Bitterns.  
When you have taken the Herons out of the Nest, double Pen-feathered, put them into a large enclosed place, and make many high Pearches, and have on the floor divers square boards with rings in them, and have between every board (which should be two yards square, to lace round) Tubs of Water; then feed them with small Fish, or large ones cut in small pieces, small pieces of Flesh, Frogs quartered, large Worms, and the like: as for the Bittern, when you have fed him, you must tie his Bill together for a time, or he will cast up his Meat again; Puits and Gulls are fed in the same manner.   

Pea cocks and Pea hens.  
These are kept more for beauty and show than food, give them Wheat enough, and they need no tendance in fatting.    

THE Complete Marketer: OR, Rules to know all sorts of Poulterer's Ware, whither Young or Old, New or Stale, by unerring Signs and Tokens.  
THe Pheasant-Cock, if young, hath its Spurs sharp, but If old, small and sharp; if it be new, it will have a firm Vent, but if stale, open, and flabby, and if you touch it hard with your finger, it will peel.  
A Pheasant-Hen if young, has ●er Legs very smooth, and a ●ooth fine grain on the flesh of 〈◊〉, if old the contrary, and ●hen pulled, full of Hairs; if she ●e with Egg, she will have a 〈◊〉 but open Vent, if not, a ●ose Vent.  
If a Pheasant-Pout be green the vent, and dry-footed, is stale.  
A Heath-Pout if it be new, ●ill be very stiff and white in ●●e vent, the feet limber, and 〈◊〉 fat, hard in the vent; but if ●ale, green in the vent, dry●oted, and touching the vent ●ill make it peel.  
A Heath-Cock is known by ●e same marks as the former.  
A Grows, or Female Heath●out when pulled, will be stiff ●nd white in the vent, if new, ●mber-sooted; but if stale, dry●oted, and green in the vent.  
A Snipe if fat, will feel thick in the Vent, and have a fat Vei● on one side under the Wing, but if not, the contrary: if new, it will be limber-footed, i● stale, dry-footed: but observe the Throat, if it be not snotty, or the Throat moorish and muddy, than it is nought.  
An old Partridge is known by its white Bill, and the● blewishness of her Leg, but th● Bills of the young are blackish and the Legs of a yellowish colour, if new, a firm vent; i● stale, a green open one, which will peel when touched: but i● she has eaten green Wheat, and her Crop be full, she may stink there, though her other mark appear fair.  
A Woodcocks Vent if fat, i● thick and hard, but if lean, the contrary; if new, limber-footed, if stale, dry-footed; look ●o the Nose and Throat, as the Snipe.  
A Blackbird, thick and hard 〈◊〉 the vent, is fat, and limber●oted, young; but the contra●y, neither fat nor young.  
The Bastard Plover if fat and ●ew, will feel full and fat in the ●ent, and be limber-footed, ●ut if lean and stale the contra●y: and so you may know as to ●●ese particulars, the Stone-●lover, Green-Plover, Gray-●lover, Fieldfair, Mavis, Lark, ●ood-Lark, Tit-Lark, Bunting, ●●d all small Birds; wherefore 〈◊〉 repeat it over often will be odious and insignificant to the ●eader.  
As for Doves of sundry sorts, 〈◊〉 know them in the Feathers, ●●d not be imposed on by the ●ulterer or Higler; The turtle-dove is white for the most part, with a bluish rin● about its neck.  
The Stock-Dove is large than the Wood-Pigeon, and excellent Meat.  
The Ring Dove is smalle● than the Stock-Dove, but no● so good to eat.  
The Dove-house Pigeon old, is red-legged; and as f●● their newness or staleness, o● serve the directions as for sm●● Birds, etc.  
The Turkey-cock if your● has a Leg blackish and smoo●● with a short Spur; if old, a r●● Leg and a sharp Spur; if 〈◊〉 his Eyes sunk in his Head, a dry-footed; but if new, his 〈◊〉 appear as if he were alive 〈◊〉 Turky-Hen the same; and full of Eggs, a fast open ve●● if not, only a hard vent.  
Turky-Pouts or Chick need not have their marks a●● Age described, and to know whether they are new or stale, take the foregoing directions.  
A Pullet, if a true one, will have a smooth Leg and Breast, pinching tender on the latter; if with Egg, soft in the Belly, and an open't vent, but if not, a close and hard vent.  
A Capon, if a true one, will have a fat thick Belly and Rump, a fat Vein on the side of the Breast; if young, a short blunt Spur, and smooth Leg, but see it be not pared or scraped; if you mistrust that trick, pinch it on the Breast, and if your Finger or Thumb go in easy, then is it young, if not, old; if pale about the Head, and the Comb short, it is a right Capon, if red, than not so; as for the foot and vent, it is as in the Pullet, and a Caponet is known by the like marks and tokens; a Cock's youngness is known by his short Spurs; in January a young Hen spends better than either Capon or Pullet, and full of Eggs, which is known by her open vent, and the redness of her Comb.  
Chickens dry pulled, if new they will be stiff, their vents white and firm; but if stale, they will be limber, and their vents green; if scalded, and in water, rub the Breast with your Finger, and if new, it will see● rough, if stale, slippery: a Crammed Clicken if fat, will have a fat Vent and Rump.  
A Shuffler is in likeness to a Duck, but lesser, and a broad Bill, as for God-wards, Ruffs Knots and Marrel, the oldness newness, and fatness are known as is remarked on other Birds.  
The Gull is bigger than ● Duck, as also the Dotterel and Wheat-Ear, being both very good food, as likewise the Quail.  
The Buffard is an excellent Bird, and as to the newness, ●tness, staleness, or age, it's ●●nown as the ●urky.  
The Swan, if when pulled and ●●ded, be full of Hairs, is old, 〈◊〉 the contrary, young; the Vild Goose fred-footed, and ●ll of Hairs, is old, but whit●●oted, and no● full of hairs, ●ung; the Brand-Goose, if ●ll of hairs old, if smooth, ●ung; the ●●me Goo●e, if 〈◊〉 billed and footed, a●d ●iry is old, but wi●h ●ew hans, ●e bill and so ●t yellowish 〈◊〉 young: as for their newness ●●d staleness, they are known the Hen or Capon.  
The Wild-duck when fat, thick and hard on the Belly, at thin and soft of lean; if limber footed, new; if dry-footed, stale; and to know a true Wild-Duck, observe it has a small reddish foot; a Tame Duck as to the newness and staleness, is the same, but has a thicker foot, blackish, and somewhat inclining to yellow; if scalded, try the Breast as for Chickens in Water.  
Teal, if fat, will feel hard and thick on the Belly; but thin and soft denotes leanness: limber-footed, new: dry-footed, Stale: and by this Rule choose the Nun Water Widgeon, Land Widgeon, Pantail, Whever, Stone Curlew, Curlew Stint, Moorhen, Didappers, Coats, and other Waterfowl: and indeed, by these Rules all other Fowl fit for the Table, that so you may learn easily to be a good Marketer, and not be imposed on to part with your Money, or when you come home, laughed at for your little skill.  

fourfooted Creatures usually sold at the Poulterers, to know whether young or old, new or stale.  
The Coney or Rabbit, if new killed, will be stiff: but if stale, she'll have a kind of slime upon her, and be very limber: and if a right Coney or Rabbit, it will have a small knot or knob, a little above the joint, on the outside the forefoot.  
A Hare if new killed, will be white, especially if clean killed without shot or bruises, and very stiff: but if stale killed, limber, and the flesh of her will have black upon it.  
The Leveret, or young Hare, when new killed, will be stiff and whitish: but if stale killed, limber, and of a dusky colour, and on the fore-leg of it, near the foot, if it be a true Leveret, it will have a small bone, if not a knob, and if this upon search, with stroking down be wanting, she is no Leveret, but a Hare, and consequently may be old: And thus have I showed you all the mystery of a Poulterer, as to any thing of this kind, that is material to be known: as to buying and selling, the Prizes vary, and are so uncertain, that I cannot but reasonably expect to be accused of folly, if I should undertake to give directions of that nature: but in the general, look out sharp, and purchase that which is good, at an honest Market rate.   

How to destroy Vermin, or such offensive Creatures, as are destructive to Fish, Fowl, cattle, etc.  
This must needs be acceptable to most, seeing a great many suffer much damage this way, and are at a loss how to prevent it: therefore though at first sight, it may appear to be some digression from the work, I have nevertheless chosen to place it at the latter end of it, in such directions as seldom have failed the expectations of those that have experienced them to their great advantage, in their Houses, Barns and Fields.    

The Complete Vermin-killer, showing a Ready way to destroy all sorts of Vermin.  

To destroy Mice and Rats.  
BOIL wild Cucumbers in a Pint of Water, with as much Coloquintida, till the Water is almost consumed, then take Oat-flower, and with what remains make a Paste, and it will when the Rats or Mice eat it, certainly destroy them.  
Or take Pot Ashes, and scatter them in the holes where the Rats and Mice run, and it will kill them, or make them utterly forsake their haunts, and the House.  
Or Take Helebore Leaves, mix them with Wheat-flower, make it into a Paste with Live Honey, lay it in the holes, or where the Mice and Rats usually come, and they will eat and die soon after. Or take very small filings of Iron or Steel, and Hemlock-seed, work them up with Wheat-flower into a dough, roll it up in little Pellets, and toss it up and down where their haunts are, and when it's eaten it destroys them.   

To scare away Mice and Rats.  
Take the B●ains of a Weasle, and mix them with Hogs-suet, anoint the places with it where they can most conveniently come in, and the scent of it will affright them back again.  
Or take wild Marjoram, burn it on a Chafing-dish of Coals in all the rooms, and whilst the scent lasts, they will not appear, and if often continued, they will utterly abandon the place.  
Or take a Rat or mouse's head, take off the skin, and hang it up where they usually come, and the sight of it will so terrify them, that they will fly the place.   

To gather Rats and Mice together.  
Take a Copper, Brass, or large Earthen Pot, put it into oyldregs, till it is about half full, place it in a convenient place, as near as you can in the middle of the house, then strew about it Pot Ashes, and when the Mice scent it, they will come flocking, and running on the Ashes, it will so stupefy them, that you may come in upon them, and destroy them at pleasure.   

To make Rats and Mice blind.  
Beat Tythimal to powder, sift it finely, mix it with an equal quantity of Wheat-flower, add as much Metheglin, as will make it into a stiff Paste, lay it in small pieces in their haunts, and in eating of it, it will make them them blind.   

To kill Weasles.  
Take Wheat-flower and Sal-Armoniack, make them into a Paste with Honey, and throw it in small parcels, in such places where the Weasles come, and they greedily eating it, it will prove their Bane.   

To gather Weasles.  
Take a Lizard's Gut, beat it in half a pint of fair Spring-water, and pour it on the ground, in the places of their haunts, and the scent of it will gather them.   

To drive away Weasles.  
Take a living Hedge Weasle, cut his Tail short, and it being a He, his Stones out, turn him lose, and the very sight of him will fright all that come near him, to seek habitations elsewhere.   

To prevent their sucking Eggs.  
Place Rue about the Nests, and places where your Poultry resort to Lay, and they will not come near them.   

To kill Moles.  
These Underminers, are great spoilers of Gardens and Fields; to destroy them, take a Jug or Pot, that a has a narrow Neck, put Cedar-wood, Bees-wax, Rosin and Brimstone into it, all very small, stop the Mole-holes that are near, with Earth, but once cast out, and into the open hole put the Neck of the Jug, after the combustible matter is well fired, and the Air in the Earth will draw it so vehemently, that it will stifle all the Moles in that place.  
Or bruise white Hellebor, stamped very small, and mixed with Wheat-flower, mix them with the White of an Egg, Milk and Wine, lay little bits of it well moulded into Cakes, before the holes, and by their eating it, it will destroy them.  
Garlic and Onions will make them leave their holes, that you may pursue and destroy them in the open Fields.   

To gather Moles together.  
To do this, put a live Mole into an Earthen-Pot, and stop it close in the Pot, than put a gentle fire under it, near the haunts of the Moles, and when she feels the heat, she will cry, which will draw all the Moles in hearing about her, that you may easily destroy them.   

To drive Snakes or Adders out of any Outhouses, Gardens, or Ground.  
Burn Wallwort, and scatter Rue and Wormwood, and the scent of these will drive them away, as also Evets, and other Ven●mous Creatures.  
Or take the roots of Centory, and lay it in the place where they come, and they will depart. The smoke of burnt Soles of Shoes, will drive them away.   

To kill Snakes or Adders.  
Take the largest Radishes, pair them small, and sprinkle them near their haunts, and eating of them they will die. If you would handle Snakes without danger, wash your hands in the Juice of Radish, and they will not bite you.  
To gather them to one place, take a handful of Onions, and about ten River Crabfish, pound these together, and this mixture laid near their haunts, will gather them together, so that you may destroy them.   

To destroy the Polecat and Fox.  
This is a great destroyer of Poultry, and young Rabits, therefore to be even with him, mark the holes he enters at, or his pads or haunts, and there set a strong Wire Snare, with a running noose, and a deep hole dug in the ground under it, that putting his head in upon the level, the Snare giving forward, he may throw his Body into the hole, and not reaching the ground with his feet, be fairly hanged; this way the 〈◊〉 may be taken, though his ●●●ning will prevent the 〈…〉 be not suddenly 〈…〉 therefore a Steel 〈…〉 ●aited with a 〈…〉 soon takes him, 〈…〉 likeliest hole of his 〈◊〉, and covered with 〈◊〉 or short broken Straw, that ●●izing the first Prey●h ●ights on, with his pulling, the Bridge may give way, and the two teethflyers clasping together, catch him fast by the Neck or Legs. These Traps will take Kites, Hen-hariers, Ringtails, or Buzzards, that haunt your Chickens, or young Rabbits, destroying many of them.   

Pismires to destroy.  
Take wild Cucumber roots, burn them where the Pismires or Ants are, and the scent of it will kill them; to preserve Plants from these Infects, anoint the bottom of the Trees with Lupins beaten small in the dregs of Oil, and they will not come near it; As for Sugar, or Sweat-meat Boxes, to keep them from it, anoint them with Rubica.   

To kill Slugs, or Snails.  
Strew the places of their haunts with slacked Lime, or Pot-Ashes, and it will destroy them; and to preserve Corn or other Grain, from being eaten in the Ground by Vermin, mix Sea-Coal Ashes or Soot, with your Seed, and they will not touch it.   

To destroy Earwigs.  
Lay dried Kexes at the bottom of the Trees, or in any place where they haunt, and they will creep into them, then burn them.   

To destroy Caterpillars.  
Make little fires in the grounds where they are, of wet Hay or Straw, sprinkle on them Brimstone, Pitch, and Rosin, and place them so that the smoke may go over the ground, and among the Trees, by the driving of the Wind, and it will kill them.   

To destroy Bugs.  
Anoint the Bedsteads, or places of their most resort, with Oil of Turpentine; for want of this, with Soap-Lees, or strong Vinegar; for want of these take the Juice of Hemlock, and Hen-bane, Burn Storax and Brimstone in the room, on a Chafing-dish, the place shut as close as may be; and to prevent Suffocating yourself, you may retire.   

To destroy Fleas and Lice.  
Take the Roots of Wild Cucumbers, and Wormwood, and boil them in Pickle, sprinkle the Water they are boiled in, in the Room, and it will kill the Fleas; to drive them from Beds, take Arsmart or Harts-tongue, a Herb so called, with a long Leaf, growing in most Ditches, lay it between the Mat or Sacking and the Bed, and the scent will drive them away.  
To kill Lice, take Hogs-lard, Quicksilver, and the Juice of Sage, beat them together into an Ointment, and anoint the body, and the Lice, if any are in your clothes will die, and no stock renew in a long time.   

To destroy Nits, Head-lice, Crab-lice, etc.  
For the two first, take Sandarach Gum, or red Orpiment and Salt-Peter, of each a dram; and if Lice two drams, mix these well together with Oil Olive and Vinegar, and by anointing the Head, or the Cap you put on at Night, it will destroy them ere Morning.  
For the last, take the Skin and Coat out of a Roasted Apple, bruise it well in a Mortar, with a little Quicksilver, and powder of Sulphur, make it into a kind of a Poultis or Ointment, and apply to the grieved part.   

To destroy Flies.  
Take Hellebor, a Herb so called, bruise it, steep it in new Milk, mix with Orpiment, and sprinkle the rooms where any Swarms of Flies come, and they will either avoid the place, or die away.    

The Supplement.  

To take young Hawks.  
IF you look for Hawks, it must be in very high Woods, their Nests being always in the oftiest Oaks, but the best way to take them, is when they have just left their Nests, yet upon occasion return to it again, is not daring to trust too much to the Wing, their haunts you may observe by their Muting, then creep close under the Trees, and take notice of their ways coming in, or going from the Nest, among the thickest Trees or Boughs, for they usually take but one direct way, when they come any thing near the Nest.  
When you have done this, watch the old Hawks going out to provide Provision for them, and in her absence climb up softly, and having a Net or Nets made of Green Thread, to be the less discernible, place it between the Arms of the Trees, they usually pass through, with drawing strings fastened to some branches, so that when they unadvisedly enter into the Cod, and flutter, their pushing forward may draw the strings and take them. Thus you may take young Crows, Pies, Rooks on the like, that build in Woods as soon as flown.   

To take the Fox with a Hook.  
To do this have a large Fish hook or two, fasten them to convenient place where he haunts your Poultry, at the en● of strong Lines, bait them wit● 〈◊〉 piece of a dead Chicken, or other Raw flesh, so that the Hooks may hang a little out of his reach, and he cannot get the Bait without leaping at it, then shut up your Poultry, that he can meet readily with no other Prey; then scenting this, he will greedily leap at it, and hanging fast to draw it off, the Hook will fasten in his Jaws, and hold him above the ground, that he may easily be taken.  
And thus Reader, I hope I have given you ample satisfaction in these matters, not doubting your approbation of what I have written, for your pleasure and profit.  
FINIS.    

THere is lately published▪ The True Art of Angling; Or, The Best and Speediest way of Taking all sorts of Freshwater Fish with the Worm, Fly, Paste, and other Baits, in their proper seasons; how to know the Haunts of Fish, and Angle for them in all Waters and Weathers, at the Top, Middle, and Bottom, Baiting of the Ground, Night Baits, Oils, and Ointments, Baits Natural and Artificial: The several ways of Angling; To make Oil of Asper, and many rare Secrets never before made public; containing the whole Body of Angling, and Mystery of a Complete Angler. By J. S. Gent. A Brother of the Angle. Printed for Geo. Conyers at the Golden Ring, and John Sprint, at the Bell, in Little Britain. Price ●d.