Page:Vermin killer (1).pdf/23

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where wild geese or ducks come, and strew in that place such seed or grain soaked in lees of wine; where also white hellebore is boiled, you may take forty at a time; it will quickly make them drunk: let now the tied goose or duck come to the seed.

to catch birds.

Take any corn, and steep it in wine lees and juice of hemlock, and cast it to the birds, and it makes them drunk presently.

how to teach birds to speak, or whistle tunes.

Keep them in dark places, and play any tune to them for half a year, or till the time that young birds taken out of the nest begin to sing, and they will learn, if cocks, any tune you please, and exceed a flageolet, especially a linnet, bull-finch, robin or goldfinch, &c. And to teach jays, magpies, starlings, parrots, &c. keep them dark, and hungry, and talk often the same thing to them, by candle-light, or in the night time.

to scare crows, ravens, jackdaws, pigeons, &c.

Crows dead and hung up, much affrights them; but among cherry trees, and other fruit trees, draw a line from tree to tree, and here and there fasten a black feather, and this will do.

the manner of bat fowling.

Observe where birds roost in great numbers, as they generally do in hedges, or trees, then go in a dark night, one with a pole, and beat the contrary side, and two or three be with you, carrying long boughs; and you may easily strike them down; if among shrubs as in a wood use nets, made like a racket at the end of poles, with which they are easily knocked down.

to take sea-pyes, crows, and other birds.

Get a minnow, tie a thread to its tail, and two small