The Ingenious Fowler, like a Politick and sagacious Warrier, must first furnish and store himself with those several Stratagems and Engines, as suit with the diversities of Occasion, i.e. Time, Place, and Game; or else he cannot expect the Conquest.

And first of Nets, which must be made of the best Pack-thread; and for taking great Fowl, the Meshes must be large, two Inches at least from point to point, the larger the better; (provided the Fowl creep not through;) two Fathom deep, and six in length, is the best and most manageable Proportion; Verged with strong Cord on each side, and extended with long Poles at each end made on purpose. But for small Water-fowl, let your Nets be of the smallest and strongest Pack-thread, the Meshes so big, as for the great Fowl, about two or three foot deep: Line these on both sides with false Nets, every Mesh a foot and half Square. For the Day-Net, it must be made of fine Pack-thread, the Mesh an Inch square, three Fathom long, and one broad, and extended on Poles according to its Length, as aforesaid.

Birdlime is the next, and thus made. Pill the Bark of Holly from the Tree at Midsummer, fill a Vessel, and put to it running Water; boil it over the Fire till the Grey and White Bark rise from the Green; take it off the Fire, drain the Water well away, and separate the Barks; and take the Green, lay it on some moist floor and close place, and cover it with Weeds; let it lye a fortnight, and in that time it will rot, and turn to a Filthy slimy Substance: Then put it into a Morter, beat it well; take it out and wash it at some running stream, till the Foulness is gone: Then put it in a close Earthen pot; let it stand Four or Five days, look to its Purging, and scum it: When clean, put it into another Earthen Pot, and keep it close for Use.

Your Setting-Dog must be Elected and Train'd thus: He must be of exquisite Scent, and love naturally to hunt Feathers. The land Spaniel is best, being of good nimble size, and Couragious mettle, which you may know by his Breed; being of a good Ranger, &c.

The first lesson is, to make him Crouch and lie down close to the ground; its done by frequent laying him on the ground and crying Lye close; upon his doing well reward him with Bread; and on the contrary chastise him with Words, not Blows.

Next, To creep to you with his Body and Head close upon the Ground by saying, Come nearer, Come nearer, or the like Words; to understand and do it, entice him with shewing him Bread, or the like: Thrusting down any rising part of his Body or Head, and roughly threatning him; if he slight that, a good Jerk or two with a slash of Whip-cord will reclaim his Obstinacy. Repeat his Lessons, and encourage his well doing. And this you may exercise in the Fields as you walk, calling him from his busie Ranging to his Duty. And then teach him to follow you close at the heels in a Line or string, without straining.

By this time he is a Year old, now (the season fit) into the Field, and let him range, [obediently.] If he wantonly babble or causelesly open, correct him by biting soundly the Roots of his Ears, or Lashing. Assoon as you find he approaches the Haunt of the Partridge, known by his Whining, and willing, but not daring, to open, speak and bid him, Take heed: If notwithstanding this he rush in and Spring the Partridge, or opens, and so they escape, correct him severely. Then cast him off to another Haunt of a Covy, and if he mends his Error, and you take any by drawing your Net over them swiftly, reward him with the Heads, Necks, and Pinions.

As for the Water-Dog, the instructions above for the Setter will serve; only to fetch and bring by losing a Glove, or the like; keep a Strict Subjection in him, and Observance to your Commands.

The longest Barrel is the best Fowling Piece, Five and half, or six foot long, with an indifferent Bore, under an Harquebuse; and shooting with the Wind, and side-ways, or behind the Fowl, not in their Faces, is to be observed; having your Dog in Command not to stir till you have shot.

A Stalking-Horse for shelter, to avoid being seen by the shie Fowl, is an old Jade trained on purpose; but this being rare and troublesome, have recourse to Art, to take Canvas stuft and painted in the shape of a Horse grazing, and so light that you-may carry him on one hand (not too big:) Others do make them in the shape of Ox, Cow, for Variety; and Stag, Trees, &c.

The great Fowl, or those who divide the Foot, reside by shallow Rivers sides, Brooks and Plashes of Water; and in low and boggy places, and sedgie, Marish, rotten Grounds. They also delight in the dry parts of drowned Fens, overgrown with long Reeds, Rushes and Sedges; as likewise in half Fens drowned Moors, hollow Vales or Downs, Heaths, &c. Where obscurely they may lurk under the Shelter of Hedges, Hills, Bushes, &c.

The lesser, or Web footed, Fowl, always haunt drowned Fens, as likewise the main streams of Rivers not subject to Freeze, the deeper and broader, the better; (tho' of these the Wild-Goose and Barnacle, if they cannot sound the depth, and reach the Ouze, change their Residence for shallow places, and delight in Green Winter Corn, especially if the Lands ends have Water about them:) Small Fowl also frequent hugely little Brooks, Ponds, drowned Meadows, Pastures, Moors, Plashes, Meres, Loughs, and Lakes, stored with unfrequented Islands, Shrubs, &c.

How to take all manner of Fowl or Birds.

For taking the first (I mean the greater Fowl) with Nets, observe in general this: Come two hours before their feeding hours, Morning and Evening; and Spreading your Net on the Ground smooth and flat, stake the two lower ends firm, and let the upper ends be extended on the long Cord; of which the further end must be fastned to the Ground, three Fathoms from the Net, the Stake in a direct Line with the lower Verge of the Net; the other, ten or twelve fathom long, have in your hand at the aforsaid distance, and get some shelter of Art or Nature, to keep you from the curious and shy Eye of the Game; having your Net so ready that the least pull may do your work, strew'd over with Grass as it lies to hide it: A live Hern, or some other Fowl lately taken, according to what you seek for, will be very requisite for a Stale. And you will have sport from the Dawning, till the Sun is about an hour high; but no longer; and from Sun-set till Twilight; these being their feeding times.

For the small (Water) Fowl. Observe the Evening is best before Sun-set. Stake down your Nets on each side the River half a foot within the Water, the lower part so plumb'd as to sink no further; the upper Slantwise shoaling against, but not touching by two foot, the water, and the Strings which bear up this upper side fastned to small yielding sticks prickt in the Bank, that as the Fowl strike may ply to the Nets to intangle them. And thus lay your Nets (as many as you please) about twelve score one from another, as the River or Brook will afford. And doubt not your success. To expedite it however, a Gun Fired three or four times in the Fens and Plashes, a good distance from your Nets, will affright and Post them to your Snares; and so do at the Rivers, when you lay in the Fens.

Winter time is the most proper for taking all manner of Small Birds, as flocking then promiscuosly together, Larks, Lennets, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Yellow-Hammers, &c. with this Bird-lime, Put to a quarter of a Pound of Bird-lime, an ounce of fresh Lard, or Capons-grease, and let it gently melt together over the Fire, but not Boyl; then take a quantity of Wheat-ears, as you think your use shall require, and cut the straw about a foot long besides the Ears, and from the Ear lime the straw six Inches; the warmer it is, the less discernible it will be. Then to the Field adjacent, carrying a bag of Chaff, and thresh'd Ears, scatter them twenty Yards wide, and stick the lim'd ears (declining downwards) here, and there; Then traverse the Fields, disturb their Haunts, and they will repair to your Snare, and pecking at the Ears, finding they stick to them, mount; and the Lim'd straws, lapping under their Wings, dead their flight, they cannot be disengaged, but fall and be taken they must. Do not go near them, till they rise of their own accord, and let not five or six entangled lead you to Spoil your Game, and incur the loss of Five or Six dozen.

Lime-Twigs, is another Expedient for taking of great Fowl, being Rods that are long, small, strait, and pliable, the upper part apt to play to and fro; being besmeared with Bird-lime warm. Thus to be used, Observe the Haunts of the Fowl, have a Stale, (a living Fowl of the same kind you would take) and cross pricking your Rods, one into, and another against the Wind sloping, a foot distant one from the other; pin down your Stale, some distance from them, tying some small string to him, to pull and make him flutter to allure the Fowl down. If any be caught, do not run presently upon them, their fluttering will encrease your Game. A well taught Spaniel is not amiss to retake those that are entangled, and yet flutter away. Thus likewise for the Water; consult the Rivers depth, and let your Rods be proportionable; what is Lim'd of them being above the Water, and a Mallard, &c. as a Stale placed here and there, as aforesaid. You need not wait on them, but three times a day visit them, and see your Game; if you miss any Rods (therefore know their Number) some Fowl entangled is got away with it, into some Hole, &c. and here your Spaniel will be serviceable to find him.

For Small-birds, a Lime-bush is best; thus, Cut down a great Bough of a Birch, or Willow-tree, trim it clean, and Lime it handsomely, within four Fingers of the bottom: Place this Bush so ordered, in some quick-set, or dead Hedge, in Spring time: In Harvest, or Summer, in Groves, Bushes, Hedges, Fruit-trees, Flax, and Hemp-Lands: In Winter, about Houses, Hovells, Barns, Stacks, &c. A Bird-call is here also necessary, or your own industrious skill in the Notes of several Birds.

And because Gentlemen who have Fish-ponds, wonder they lose so many Fish, and are apt to Censure sometimes undeservedly their Neighbours, when it is the insatiable Hern, that is the true cause: I shall next lay down the best and most approved way of taking the great Fish-devouring Hern, whose Haunt having found, observe this Method to take him. Get three or four small Roaches, or Dace, take a strong Hook, (not too rank) with Wyre to it, and draw the Wyre just within the skin, from the side of the Gills, to the Tail of the said Fish, and he will live four or five days, (If dead the Hern will not touch it.) Then have a strong Line, of a dark Green-silk, twisted with Wyre, about three Yards long, tie a round stone of a pound to it, and lay three or four such hooks, but not too deep in the Water, out of the Herns wading; and two or three Nights will answer your Expectation.

The several wayes of taking Pheasants.

You must learn and understand the several Notes of a Natural Pheasant-Call, and how usefully to apply them. In the Morning just before or at Sun-rising, call them to feed, and so at Sun-setting: In the Fornoon, and Afternoon, your Note must be to Cluck them together to Brood, or to chide them for straggling, or to notify some danger at hand.

Thus skilled in their Notes; and by the Darkness, Solitaryness, and strong undergrowth of the place assured of their Haunts, closely lodge yourself, and softly at first call; lest being near you, a loud Note affright them; and no Reply made, raise your Note gradually, to the highest; and if there be a Pheasant in hearing, he will answer you, in as loud a Note. Be sure it be Tunable. As soon as you are answered, creep nearer to it; if far off, and a single Fowl, as you call, and approach, so will the Pheasant. Having gotten sight of her, on the Ground, or Perch, cease calling, and with all silence possible, spread your Net conveniently, between the Pheasant, and you, one end of the Net fastned to the Ground, and the other end, hold by a long Line in your hand, by which you may pull it together, if strained; then call again, and as you see the Pheasant come under your Net, rise and shew your self, and affrighting her, she will mount, and so is taken. Thus if on the contrary you have divers Answers, from several Corners, of the Coppice, and you keep your place and not stir, they will come to your Call; and then having a pair of Nets, spread one on each side, and do as before. Your Nets, must be made of Green or Black double-twin'd Thread, the Mesh about an inch square, between Knot, and Knot, the whole Net about three Fathom long, and Seven foot broad, verged with strong small Cord on each side and ends, to lye hollow and compass-wise.

The next way of taking Pheasant-Powts, is by Driving, thus. Having found the Haunt of an Eye of Pheasants, known by the Barrenness of the Place, Mutings and loose Feathers, then in the little Pads and Wayes, like Sheep tracks, they have made, place your Nets (taking the Wind with you) a-cross these Paths hollow, loose and circularly, the nether part fixt to the Ground, and the upper side hollow, &c. as aforesaid: Then to their Haunt, and there call them together, if feattered; then with a Driver, an Instrument like that of Cloath-dressers, rake gently the Bushes and Boughs about you, the Powts will run, and stop and listen; then give another rake, and so you will drive them like sheep into your Nets: Observe in this Secrecy, Time and Leisure, or you spoil your Sport; Secrecy in concealing your self from being seen by them; and Time and Leisure, by not being too hasty.

Lastly for taking Pheasants with the Lime-Bush, or Rods, order these, as I have before prescribed; your Rods about twelve inches long, and your Bush containing not above eight Twigs, with a pretty long Handle, sharpned to stick in the Ground, or Bushes, Shrubs, &c. and let it be planted as near the Pheasants pearching Branch, as may be. Place your Rods on the Ground, near the Bush; for when some are taken below by they Rods, they will scare up the others to get on the Bushes to seek what's become of their Fellows, and there become your Prey themselves.

For taking Partridge.

You must first find the Partridges Haunt. Which is mostly in standing Corn-Fields, where they breed; as likewise in Stubble after the Corn is cut, especially Wheat-stubble till it is trodden, and then they repair to Barley-stubble, if fresh; and the Furrows amongst the Clots, Brambles and long Grass, are sometimes their lurking places, for Twenty and upward in a Covy. In the Winter in up-land Meadows, in the dead Grass or Fog under Hedges, among Mole-hills; or under the Roots of Trees, &c. Various and uncertain are their Haunts. And tho' some by the Eye, by distinguishing their Colour from the Ground, others by the Ear, by hearing the Cock call earnestly the Hen, and the Hens answering, and chattering with Joy at meeting, do find Partridge; yet the best, easiest and safest way of finding them is (as you do the Pheasant) by the Call or Pipe: Notes seasonable, as before prescribed, and they will come near to you, and you may count their Numbers; and to your sport.

Surround your Covy, prepare your Nets, and pricking a stick fast in the ground, tye the one end to it, and let your Nets fall as you walk briskly round without stopping, and cover the Partridge; then rush in upon them to frighten them, and as they rise they are taken.

For taking them with Bird-Lime, thus: Call first near the Haunt; if answered, stick about your Lime-straws, a-cross in ranks at some distance from you; then call again, and as they approach you, they are intercepted by the Straws; and so your Prey. This way is used most successfully in Stubble-fields, from August to September: And Rods in Woods, Pastures, &c. as for the Pheasant.

The most pleasant way of taking Partridge is with a Setting-Dog, who having set them, use your Net; and by these Rules and Method, the Rails, Quales, Moorpoots, &c. are to be taken; and are for Hawks flight too. And here I must make an end of the most material part of Fowling.