Class IL MALLARD. 



(as they term it) and the wild fowl feed during 

 the night. If the evening is (till, the noife of 

 their wings, during their flight, is heard at a very- 

 great diftance, and is a pleafing, though rather 

 melancholy found. This rifing of the decoy in the 

 evening, is in Somerfetfiire called redding. 



The decoy ducks are fed with hempleed, which 

 is flung over the fkreens in fmall quantities, to 

 bring them forwards into the pipes, and to allure 

 the wild fowl to follow, as this feed is fo light as 

 to float. + 



There are feveral pipes (as they are called) 

 which lead up a narrow ditch, that clofes at laft 

 with a funnel net. Over thefe pipes (which grow 

 narrower from the firft entrance) is a continued 

 arch of netting, fufpended on hoops. It is necelTary 

 to have a pipe or ditch for almoft every wind that 

 can blow, as upon this circumftance it depends 

 which pipe the wild fowl will take to •, and the 

 decoy-man always keeps on the leeward fide of the 

 ducks, to prevent his effluvia reaching their faga- 

 cious noftrils. All along each pipe, at certain in- 

 tervals, are placed fkreens made of reeds, which 

 are fo fituated, that it is impoffible the wild fowl 

 fhould fee the decoy-man, before they have paffedl 

 on towards the end of the pipe, where the purfe-neE 

 is placed. The inducement to the wild fowl to 

 go up one of thefe pipes is, becaufe the decoy- 

 ducks, trained to this, lead the way, either after 

 hearing the whittle of the decoy-man, or enticed 



by 



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