HISTORY OF DECOYS. 



worked — or, at least, the last three years of which an account has been 

 preserved, and the consequent falling off in the profits, which dwindled 

 from ^8 1 to ;^69, and eventually to ^^33 only. Whether this falling off 

 was occasioned by the establishment, or successful working, of other Decoys 

 in the neighbourhood, or by the reclamation and cultivation of the surround- 

 ing marsh lands, does not appear ; both these causes probably had their 

 influence upon the birds. Here is the summary referred to : — ■ 



An Account of Wildfowll Ketcht att Steeple Duckoy. 



From this table it appears that the amount realized by the sale of 

 Avildfowl during thirteen years was ;/^ 1,326 is. 6d., or an average of ^103 

 per annum. 



It would seem that nearly all the Ducks and Teal taken in this Decoy 

 were foreigners, and not home-bred birds ; for it is remarkable that during 

 the months of August and September, before the large migrating flocks 

 had arrived, comparatively few were captured, which would scarcely have 

 been the case had these birds nested in any numbers in the surrounding 

 marshes. 



Since writing the above, I have found in the British Museum an old 

 map of Essex, dated in MS. 1719, and entered in the map catalogue as 

 dated [i 720 ?], wherein the site of this Decoy is clearly marked. It is 

 placed on the east bank of Steeple Creek, between Steeple and the Black- 

 water. This map was prepared from a survey made by John Warburton, 

 F.R.S., and Somerset Herald, assisted by Messrs. Bland and Smith." 



