312 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
and sheltered piece of water, and assumes a duller plumage, 
somewhat like that of the female. During this time he becomes 
very skulking, and rarely shows himself on the open water. 
When his dull or ‘‘eclipse” plumage has been assumed, he 
casts all his flight feathers at once, and for a short time becomes 
incapable of flight. They grow again, however, in about a 
fortnight, and in September he begins to don his own brilliant 
colours once more, and comes from seclusion to join his com- 
rades. In the winter they retire in large flocks to open sheets — 
of water or the sea, flighting every evening to the marshes and 
shore in search of food, and retiring again at dawn to rest on 
the water. 
These daily movements of Duck are known to sportsmen as 
‘‘flights,’’ and they afford excellent shooting to the gunner 
concealed on their route. Vast numbers of this and other 
species of Duck were formerly taken in decoys, but partly 
owing to decrease in the number of the fowl, or still more 
to the increase of shooters, who frighten them away, few 
decoys are now worked profitably in this country. A decoy is 
a pond in a suitable locality near the sea surrounded by trees 
and having two or four curved arms known as ‘‘pipes”’ run- 
ning up at different corners. These pipes are covered with 
netting, and end in a small bag net. The Duck are enticed up 
by the tame birds, and by means of a red dog that they follow 
out of curiosity. They do not see the decoy man, who has 
hitherto been concealed, until well up the pipe, and rather than 
turn back and face him, they rise and fly up the pipe into the net. 
In order not to startle the other birds on the pond, these pro- 
ceedings must be carried out quite silently, their comrades 
remaining unaware of their fate. For the successful working 
of a decoy absolute quiet and a plentiful supply of food are 
necessary. In Holland decoys are still in use, where they 
prove a considerable source of profit to their owners; their 
number is limited, and a licence has to be paid for each decoy. 
