WILD-FOWL DECOYS AND WILD- 

 FOWLING IN ESSEX. 



IN the days when decoys for taking Wild-fowl were in common use, 

 those of Essex were of great importance. Next to Lincolnshire, 

 indeed, Essex may fairly claim to have been the foremost county 

 in England, so far as the number of its 'decoys is concerned. 



Tl' ere are several early references to these decoys. Thus, the 

 Rev. T. Cox in his Magna Britannia (1720) says of Essex (vol. i. 

 p. 722), "By the sea-side there are divers decoys, which bring in 

 great profit to the owners in the winter season." 



Daniel Defoe, too, in his Tour Through the Whole Islatid of 

 Great Britain (1724) says (vol. i. p. 11) : — 



" Here is Osey or Osyth Island, commonly called Oosy Island, so well known 

 by our London Men of Pleasure, for the infinite Number of Wild-Fowl, that is to 

 say. Duck, Mallard, Teal, and Widgeon, of which there are such vast flights, that 

 they tell us the island, namely the Creek, seems covered with them at certain 

 times of the year, and they go from London on Purpose for the pleasure of Shoot- 

 ing ; and, indeed, often come Home very well loaden with Game. But it must be 

 remembered, too, that those Gentlemen who are such lovers of the Sport, and go 

 so far for it, often return with an Essex Ague on their Backs, which they find a 

 heavier Load than the Fowls they have shot." 



Morant also says (vol. i. p. xxv.) : — " At Goldhangre, Kirby, and 

 other parts along the coast are many decoys, which yield plenty of 

 Wild-fowl of all kinds." 



It appears from Daniel's Rural Sports (6. ii. 482) that in 1800 

 "the several proprietors and occupiers of decoys, on and in the 

 neighbourhood of the river Blackwater " formed an association for 

 the purpose of prosecuting all such gunners and puntmen " as shall 

 hereafter by fowling, or in any other manner, disturb the wild fowl in 

 or near such decoys, or hinder or prevent their resort thereto." An 

 advertisement, dated " Maldon, September nth, 1800," and signed 

 by " Wm. Lawrence, Solicitor to the Association," was inserted in 

 the papers, offering a reward of five guineas for information leading 

 to a conviction. 



Considering the nature of our Essex coast, it is nothing more 

 than might have been expected that both decoys and wild-fowl 



