. The Canadian field-naturalist. September, 1928] The Canadian Field-Naturalist 141 day.—] and a large net like a landing-net on a pole; the other sits in the stern and paddles the canoe in the direction of a flock of Brant. As soon as the canoe has got in amongst a flock the torch is suddenly lighted and as suddenly extinguished. The birds at once get up and fly about a short distance but settle again as soon as the light disappears. The Indians mark the direction taken by the birds, and follow them, again paddling noiselessly into the flock. The torch is again lighted and extinguished
. The Canadian field-naturalist. September, 1928] The Canadian Field-Naturalist 141 day.—] and a large net like a landing-net on a pole; the other sits in the stern and paddles the canoe in the direction of a flock of Brant. As soon as the canoe has got in amongst a flock the torch is suddenly lighted and as suddenly extinguished. The birds at once get up and fly about a short distance but settle again as soon as the light disappears. The Indians mark the direction taken by the birds, and follow them, again paddling noiselessly into the flock. The torch is again lighted and extinguished with the same result. ' After this manoeuvre has been repeated some three times the Geese become bewildered. When the torch is lighted they do not attempt to fly but stay and gaze at it. They are then quickly scooped out of the water by the Indian with the net". The Drop Net. Mr. G. Fraser of Ucluelet tells me that about twenty years ago he was forced by roUgh weather to take shelter with some Indians at Toquart on the west coast of the island, and that they brought in during the night some fifty ducks and geese, which they told him had been taken in a net stretched between two canoes. Mr. J. Hillier, also of Ucluelet, informs me that about that time —twenty years ago—he had on several occasions seen the Indians working the net, and he described to me the mode of capture thus:—^"Two canoes were used, each manned by three Indians; one in the bow kept burning a fire of finely split Gum-wood, number two worked the net, whilst number three handled the paddle. The canoes would go out into Toquart harbour on a dark, stormy night at a time when the geese were going north, for on such nights they frequented this sheltered harbour in large numbers. As the canoes approached the geese, a blanket was held up behind the fire by the man in the bow. Seeing only the fire, the geese would huddle together, when the canoes would pass, one on each side, and drop the net over them
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