56 THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. 



great numbers, a much larger bag. But such immense congregations of 

 fowl are not to be seen in these days anywhere in our islands. 



Five-pipe Decoy. This is the Decoy I strongly recommend for any 

 place where fowl are niunerous. It is a most convenient size, and very 

 workable. Its pipes will suit every wind that blows. {See plan facing 

 page 58.) 



A Four-pipe Decoy (facing page 1 74). A very good one too, but 

 I consider a three-pipe Decoy is just as good. Four pipes are not nearly 

 so good as five if fowl be plentiful, and there is one pipe too many if birds 

 are scarce. 



I am now speaking of making a Decoy where nothing of the kind exists. 



If the pool of water is ready to hand, then it may be easier and not 

 more expensive to put four pipes to it than three, especially if it be a 

 square pond, with corners adapted for the four pipes ready formed. 

 The plan facing page 93 is also a good shape for a four-pipe Decoy, and 

 has proved a very successful one too. It is of course an object to fit pipes 

 to an existing pool to suit its present shape, and so save expense and labour 

 as much as possible. 



A Three-pipe Decoy (facing page 55). This is a capital plan, and 

 more generally suitable than any other for a place where fowl are com- 

 paratively few. 



It is inexpensive to make and work. 



The pipes will suit almost every wind, quite enough so to catch several 

 hundred fowl in the season, or several thousand for that matter if they 

 were very abundant, as in days gone by. I therefore give a large plan of 

 a three-pipe Decoy, by studying which, as well as the folding plan of a 

 Decoy pipe on the next page, such a Decoy can easily be constructed. 



A Two-pipe or One-pipe Decoy usually consists of a pond or lake 

 with a pipe or pipes attached to it, and placed at its most favourable 

 corner or end ; that is, the one oftenest haunted by the birds. In this 

 case the rest of the pond is little interfered with or remodelled, being 

 merely kept quiet and secluded. 



These plans are taken from some of our best Decoys, and which latter 

 were made by the cleverest Decoymen who ever lived, and who knew more 

 about Decoys, their working and construction, than any one before or after 

 them. 



