GENERAL DIRECTIONS. 55 



the ground. A half-killed bird escaping on to the pond will do great damage 

 to the Decoy. This accident I have known occur more than once. The 

 more expeditiously the fowl can be taken out of the tunnel net, and 

 silenced, the better. The net should be dragged a little distance if many 

 fowl are in it, so that their flutterings cannot by any possibility reach the 

 hearing of the uncaught, but ever suspicious, birds on the Decoy pond. 



The tunnel net can be held firmly between his knees by the Decoy- 

 man, as he takes out the captives one by one, kills them, and throws them 

 on one side. {See page 22.) 



But killing deftly is of importance, and can be best learnt from some 

 practised Decoyman. The bird is pulled out of the tunnel by the neck, the 

 neck is then twisted into a ring, and kept in that position with the left hand, 

 whilst the right hand gives the dislocating jerk ; all the work of an instant. 



If live birds are wanted, as is often the case, their wings are crossed 

 at the first joint, one being twisted behind and round the other, till they are 

 securely put into a basket. They will not run, and have no power of flying, 

 or even fluttering, when in this position. 



I will next shortly criticize the more important of the plans of Decoys 

 ofiven througfhout the book. 



Eight-pipe Decoy (facing page 167). This Decoy is far too large, and 

 has too many pipes for ordinary use. The more pipes, the more expense 

 and trouble incurred. If fowl frequented a neighbourhood in vast numbers, 

 as tvas the case when such fine Decoys existed, then it would be well 

 adapted to catch extensively. But unless its takes reached an average 

 total of 5,000 ducks annually, such an elaborate Decoy is quite unneces- 

 sary. A Decoy with only five pipes would in these days be quite large 

 enough, even in the best preserved districts for wildfowl, and where they 

 abound the most. 



Six-pipe Decoy (facing page 122) (a seven would not answer or be 

 symmetrical). This is a well-planned Decoy, it is true, but a five-pipe one 

 would catch as many fowl. 



The chief object of a Decoy is to have its pipes so that they will 

 suit every wind ; this a five will do as well as a six-pipe one. I may point 

 out that in an eight- or six-pipe Decoy, two pipes, or even three, may some- 

 times be worked with the same wind, thus giving, if fowl are present in 



