DECOYS. 



447 



on Coatham Marshes in 1840, by the then owner, Mr. H. 

 Vansittart. The area of ground enclosed was about three 

 acres, with a pool of two acres, through which a " stell " or 

 *' fleet " runs, carrying surface water to the Teesmouth, 

 being occasionally increased when the Marsh was flooded. 

 The position of the Decoy is on the south of the railway 

 near Tod Point, about 300 yards distant from, and opposite 

 to, the Marsh Farm at the west end of the village of Warrenby. 

 There were originally four pipes, which, however, were reduced 

 to three, but only two were in regular use, each about fifty 



yards in length ; that on the north side was the largest and 

 best. For twenty-five years the Decoy was very productive, 

 and many kinds of fowl were captured, including Sheld-Duck, 

 Shoveler, Pintail, Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Pochard, occasionally 

 a Scaup, and once, in 1850, a Ferruginous Duck. On the occa- 

 sion nearly five hundred Ducks were enclosed in the net, which 

 broke with their weight and all escaped but a hundred birds.* 



* The information concerning this Decoy is compiled from recollec- 

 tions of old residents of Coatham, who assisted the Decoyman, Faith ; 

 for the particulars of plans and measurements I am indebted to the 

 late R. Lofthouse of Middlesbrough, who surveyed the site in 1887. 



