26 THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. 



round its front between it and the ditch of the pipe, and pops back over 

 the next dog-jump behind the same screen. 



He repeats the manceuvre, sjDringing into view of the ducks again 

 from the jump he just disappeared over, and so encompassing screen 

 number two. 



This alternate jumping into sight, followed by a short, frisking run, 

 and then the vanishing again on the part of the dog, is continued from 

 screen to screen till the ducks have followed the enticer well under the net 

 and too far for their safety. 



The Decoyman, hidden himself, also moves from screen to screen 

 towards the tail of the pipe, keeping pace with his dog, and taking a 

 quick look now and then through the peep-hole in each screen in order to 

 see how the ducks are progressing up the pipe after the dog. {^See opposite 

 page.) 



The latter he encourages by gestures to be smart and cheerful in his 

 movements, rewarding him from time to time with titbits of cheese, meat, 

 or cake. 



If he sees the ducks hang at one spot and hesitate to proceed, he puts 

 his dog quickly round the screen just above them, two or three times in 

 succession. This will usually bring them on. It sometimes happens that 

 the landing under the Breast-wall screens has fowl on it that cannot see or 

 will not follow the dog as the latter appears from behind the screens near 

 the pipe. 



In this case the Decoyman puts his dog over the " Yackoop " between 

 these two screens and right among the birds, when, though apparently very 

 alarmed at first, they usually, some of them, end by following their disturber 

 up the pipe. 



The sprightlier the dog works, the better, so long as he is absolutely 

 mute and obedient. 



I need scarce note that the dog, starting at or near the mouth of the 

 pipe, continues his erratic course invariably towards its tail end, taking 

 each screen and its jump in succession. 



