a device for catching fish and fowl. See the article FISHERY.

The taking fowls by nets is the readiest and most advantageous of all others, where numbers are to be taken. The making the nets is very easy, and what every true sportsman ought to be able to do for himself. All the necessary tools are wooden needles, of which there should be several of different sizes, some round and others flat; a pair of round pointed and flat scissors; and a wheel to wind off the thread. The pack-thread is to be of different strength and thickness, according to the sort of birds to be taken; and the general size of the meshes, if not for very small birds, is two inches from point to point. The nets should neither be made too deep nor too long, for they are then difficult to manage; and they must be verged on each side with twisted thread. The natural colour of the thread is too bright and pale, and is therefore in many cases to be altered. The most usual colour is the russet; which is to be obtained by plunging the net, after it is made, into a tanners' pit, and letting it lie there till it be sufficiently tinged: this is of a double service to the net, since it preserves the thread as well as alters the colour. The green colour is given by chopping some green wheat and boiling it in water, and then soaking the net in this green tincture. The yellow colour is given in the same manner with the decoction of celandine; which gives a pale straw-colour, which is the colour of stubble in the harvest-time. The brown nets are to be used on ploughed lands, the green on grass grounds, and the yellow on stubble lands.

Day-NET, among fowlers, a net generally used for taking such small birds as play in the air, and will stoop either to prey, gig, or the like; as larks, linnets, buntings, &c. The time of the year for using this net is from August to November; and the best time is very early in the morning: and it is to be observed, that the milder the air, and the brighter the sun is, the better will be the sport, and of longer continuance. The place where this net should be laid, ought to be plain champaign, either on short stubbles, green leys, or flat meadows, near corn fields, and somewhat remote from towns and villages: you must be sure to let your net lie close to the ground, that the birds creep not out and make their escape.—The net is made of a fine packthread with a small mesh, not exceeding half an inch square; it must be three fathoms long, and but one broad: it must be verged about with a small but strong cord; and the two ends extended upon two small long poles, suitable to the breadth of the net, with four stakes, tail-strings, and drawing-lines.—This net is composed of two, which must be exactly alike; and are to be laid opposite to one another, so even and close, that when they are drawn and pulled over, the sides must meet and touch each other. You must stake this net down with strong stakes, very stiff on their lines, so that you may with a nimble touch cast them to and fro at pleasure; then fasten your drawing-cord or hand-lines (of which there must be a dozen at least, and each two yards long) to the upper end of the foremost staves: and so extend them of such a straitness, that with a little strength they may rise up in the nets and cast them over.

Your nets being thus laid, place your gigs, or playing-wantons, about 20 or 30 paces beyond, and as much on this side your nets: the gigs must be fastened to the tops of long poles, and turned into the wind, so as they may play to make a noise therein. These gigs are a sort of toys made of long goose-feathers, like shuttle-cocks, and with little small tunnels of wood running in broad and flat swan-quills, made round like a small hoop; and so, with longer strings fastened to a pole, will, with any small wind or air, move after such a manner, that birds will come in great flocks to play about them.

When you have placed your gigs, then place your stake; which is a small stake of wood, to prick down into the earth, having in it a mortice-hole, in which a small and slender piece of wood, about two feet long, is fastened, so as it may move up and down at pleasure: and fasten to this longer stick a small line, which, running through a hole in the stick above-mentioned, and so coming up to the place where you are to sit, you may, by drawing the line up and down with your right hand, raise up the longer stick as you see occasion.

Fasten a live lark, or such like bird, to this longer stick, which, with the line making it to stir up and down by your pulling, will entice the birds to come to your net.

There is another stake, or enticement, to draw on these birds, called a looking-glass; which is a round stake of wood, as big as a man's arm, made very sharp at the end, to thrust it into the ground: they make it very hollow in the upper part, above five fingers deep; into which hollow they place a three-square piece of wood about a foot long, and each two inches broad, lying upon the top of the stake, and going with a foot into the hollowness: which foot must have a great knob at the top, and another at the bottom, with a deep slenderness between; to which slenderness you are to fasten a small packthread, which, running through a hole in the side of the stake, must come up to the place where you sit. The three square piece of wood which lies on the top of the stake, must be of such a poise and evenness; and the foot of the socket so smooth and round, that it may whirl and turn round upon the least touch; winding the packthread so many times about it, which being suddenly drawn, and as suddenly let go, will keep the engine in a constant rotatory motion: then fasten with glue on the uppermost flat squares of the three-square piece, about 20 small pieces of looking-glass, and paint all the square wood between them of a light and lively red; which, in the continual motion, will give such a reflection, that the birds will play about to admiration until they are taken.

Both this and the other stake are to be placed in the middle between the two nets, about two or three feet distance from each other; so that in the falling of the nets, the chords may not touch or annoy them: neither must they stand one before or after another; the glass being kept in a continual motion, and the bird very often fluttering. Having placed your nets in this manner, as also your gigs and stakes, go to the further end of your long drawing lines and stake lines; and having placed yourself, lay the main drawing line across your thigh, and, with your left, pull the stake line to show the birds; and when you perceive them to play near and about your nets and stakes, then pull the net over with both hands, with a quick but not too hasty motion; for otherwise your sport will be spoiled.

See Plate CCCLXIX., where A shows the bodies of the main net, and how they ought to be laid. B, the tail lines, or the hinder lines, staked to the ground. C, the fore lines staked also to the ground. D, the bird stake. E, the looking-glass stake. G, the line which draws the bird stake. H, the line that draws the glass stake. I, the drawing double lines of the nets, which pulls them over. K, the stakes which stake down the four nether points of the nets and the two tail lines. L, the stakes that stake down the fore lines. M, the single line, with the wooden button to pull the net over with. N, the stake that stakes down the single line, and where the man should sit; and O, the gig.

Net, Neat, in commerce, something pure, and unadulterated with any foreign mixture.

Thus wines are said to be net when not falsified or balderdashed; and coffee, rice, pepper, &c. are net when the filth and ordure are separated from them.

A diamond is said to be net when it has no stains or flaws; a crystal, when transparent throughout.

Net is also used for what remains after the tare has been taken out of the weight of any merchandise, i.e. when it is weighed clear of all package. See Tare.

Thus we say, a barrel of cochineal weighs 450 pounds; the tare is 50 pounds, and there remain net 400 pounds.

Net Produce, a term used to express what any commodity has yielded, all tare and charges deducted.

The merchants sometimes use the Italian words netto proceduto, for net produce.