30 THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. 



perchance, they cannot help sadly reflecting on the fate of those poor ducks 

 in distant places, who are forever pursued by men with dogs and guns ; 

 who, alas ! can never enjoy real peace of mind, whether eating or sleeping, 



who but what, in Fortune's name, was that ? Up goes every 



head in an instant. The birds fastest asleep of all are on the alert as soon 

 as any. 



I saw nothing — did you ? did you ? Did you hear anything ? is what, 

 judging from their looks, fancy shapes into words for them as they stand or 

 swim with stretched necks and glistening eyes peering towards the pipe 

 and its screens. 



Some even swim inquiringly a few feet in the direction of the supposed 

 but doubtful " something moving." 



Save a few suspicious old Mallards, who stand motionless and erect 

 on the bank, all begin to settle to rest and sleep as before. Perhaps it was only 

 a leaf settling down after all, or a harmless, though restless and so trouble- 

 some rabbit, or else There ! there it is again — a fox ! a fox ! — no, a 



dog ! Not a moment is to be lost, or we shall not see him plainly, or know 

 what he is about. 



The birds, poor silly creatures for this once ! — not at any other time, 

 rest assured — rush, yes scramble, through the water up the pipe right under 

 the fatal netting. They must see what it means ; a dog whisking into 

 view, and then frisking out of sight again the next moment in such an 

 extraordinary manner, must be examined at once. Such a chance may 

 never occur again in a lifetime. Besides, it is such impudence on his part, 

 and if all go together the disturber may be frightened farther away. 



So think the ducks, especially as they see the tame Decoys swimming 

 up the pipe also towards the dog, for t/uy know that the appearance of the 

 dog means food thrown to them by the Decoyman ; thus they swim up in 

 expectation of a meal. 



The wild ducks pursue the dog with indignant rushes when he is in 

 view ; when he is out of sight they hesitate, and half turn round to go 

 back. 



But he constantly reappears, and is going farther and farther up along- 

 side the pipe ; so are the ducks in its ditch, both tame and wild. {See 

 opposite page.) 



But the wild birds have found out he is a very harmless kind of dog 



