Bat-fowling is an archaic method of catchingbirds at night,[1] while they are atroost. The process involves lighting straw or torches near their roost. After awakening them from their roost, the birds fly toward the flames, where, being amazed, they are easily caught in nets, or beaten with bats. The phrase "beating about the bush" is said to be derived from this practice as thetrapper's accomplices would go around the bushes to disturb the birds.[2] The practice was also calledlanciatoia inItaly and a variation was calledlow-belling. The low-belling process involves approaching birds with bright lights and usingcow bells, which the birds were accustomed to, to approach the birds up close and capture them with a long-handlednet.[3][4]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Bat-fowling".Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.