The Alle Alle
"There is also in this Lake (the White Lake) a kind of bird, very
frequent; and in other Coasts of the Bothnick and Swedish Sea, that
cries incessantly all the Summer, Alle, Alle, therefore they are
called all over, by the Inhabitants, Alle, Alle. For in that Lake such
a multitude of great birds is found, (as I said before) by reason of the
fresh Waters that spring from hot springs, that they seem to cover all
the shor
s and rivers, especially Sea-Crows, or Cormorants, Coots, More
Hens, two sorts of Ducks, Swans, and infinite smaller Water Birds. These
Crows, and other devouring birds, the hunters can easily take, because
they fly slowly, and not above two or four Cubits above the Water: thus
they do it on the narrow Rocks, as in the Gates of Islands, on the Banks
of them, they hang black nets, or dyed of a Watry Colour upon Spears;
and these, with Pulleys, will quickly slip up or down, that in great
Sholes they catch the Birds that fly thither by letting the Nets fall
upon them: and this is necessary, because those Birds fly so slowly, and
right forward; so that few escape. Also, sometimes Ducks, and other
Birds are taken in these Nets. Wherefore these black, or slow Birds,
whether they swim or fly, are always crying Alle, Alle, which in
Latine signifies All, All, (Omnes) and so they do when they are
caught in the Nets: and this voyce the cunning Fowler interprets thus,
that he hath not, as yet, all of them in his Nets; nor ever shall have,
though he had six hundred Nets."