One of the party is chosen to be the bird-catcher. The rest fix upon some particular bird whose voice they can imitate when called upon, the owl being the only bird forbidden to be chosen. Then sitting in order round the room with their hands on their knees, they listen to the story their master has to tell them. The Bird-catcher begins by relating some incident in which the feathered tribe take a very prominent position, but particularly those birds represented by the company. Each one, as the name of the bird he has chosen is mentioned, utters the cry peculiar to it, never for a moment moving his hands from his knees. Should the owl be referred to, however, every one is expected to place his hands behind him, and to keep them there until the name of another bird has been mentioned, when he must, as before, place them on his knees. During the moving of the hands, if the Bird-catcher can succeed in securing a hand, the owner of it must pay a forfeit, and also change places with the Bird-catcher.
We must not forget to observe that when the leader, or Bird-catcher, as he is called, refers in his narrative to "all the birds in the air," all the players are to utter at the same time the cries of the different birds they represent.
A handkerchief must be tied over the eyes of some one of the party who has volunteered to be blind man; after which he is turned round three times, then let loose to catch any one he can. As soon as he has succeeded in laying hold of one of his friends, if able to say who it is he is liberated, and the handkerchief is transferred to the eyes of the newly-made captive, who in his turn becomes blind man. This position the new victim must hold until, like his predecessor, he shall succeed in catching some one, and naming correctly the person he has caught.
In this game the first thing to be done is to appoint a postmaster-general and a postman. The table must then be pushed on one side, so that when the company have arranged themselves round the room there may be plenty of room to move about. The postmaster-general, with paper and pencil in hand, then goes round the room, and writes down each person's name, linking with it the name of the town that the owner of the name chooses to represent. As soon as the towns are chosen, and all are in readiness, the postman is blindfolded and placed in the middle of the room. The postmaster then announces that a letter has been sent from one town to another, perhaps from London to Edinburgh. If so, the representatives of these two cities must stand up, and, as silently as possible, change seats. While the transition is being made, the postman is at liberty to secure one of the seats for himself. If he can do so, then the former occupant of the chair must submit to be blindfolded, and take upon himself the office of postman.
