446 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE, 



of which, made by old George Skelton, about 1830, with four 

 pipes, was used until the year i860. The formation of an 

 island in the pool operated prejudicially, for fewer fowl were 

 subsequently taken, and it was eventually abandoned. Of 

 the other Decoy, situated in the Park, some two hundred yards 

 only from the mansion, nothing now remains but a stagnant 

 pool overgrown with rushes, no trace of the pipes being 

 observable. Tradition, however, states that when in working 

 order about 2,000 fowl were taken there in a season. 



The more recent Decoy is to be easily traced, its form being 

 compact, well-shaped, and planted. It is, however, though in 

 the Park, within one hundred paces of a high road. The Decoy 

 was made for the late Lord Wenlock, and the present owner 

 of Escrick recollects seeing Ducks caught in it when a boy. 



OsGODBY. — Three miles east of Selby, formerly the 

 property of Mr. G. P. Dawson, but now belonging to Mr. Riley 

 Briggs, possessed a Decoy which was last worked in 1877, 

 Situated at the north side of the Park, in the centre of the 

 estate, it had four pipes, and some years ago answered very 

 well, an average season producing 1,600 to 2,000 fowl. Mr. 

 Briggs informed Sir Payne-Gallwey he had occasionally seen 

 as many as 1,500 birds on the pool at one time. 



When in working order it was found that there were 

 more Teal taken in the eastern pipe, and more Duck and 

 Mallard in the south pipe, than in any other. In the best 

 season of which any record has been preserved there were 

 captured 1,800 Duck and Mallard, besides 500 Teal and Wigeon ; 

 the last named began to discontinue their visits about 1867. 

 As many as eighty Duck have been taken in one pipe of this 

 Decoy at a single drive. 



BiRDSALL. — The site of a Decoy is shewn on old maps 

 at Birdsall, near North Grimston, six miles S.S.E. of Malton. 

 This was not a pipe Decoy. It was near Birdsall House, the 

 seat of Lord Middleton, to whom the estate belongs, and who 

 informed Sir R. Payne-Gallwey it was a trap or cage Decoy, and 

 that it has long since been discontinued, and is now silted up. 



CoATHAM, NEAR Redcar. — On the Kirkleatham estate, now 

 owned by Mr. G. H. T. Newcomen, a Decoy was constructed 



