HISTORY OF DECOYS. 



149 



The term " various " Includes Swans, Pheasants, Snipe. Waterhens, 

 Baldcoots and 2 Divers. 



A curious incident occurred on December 6, 1884. As the Decoyman 

 was entering No. i pipe to feed the tame Ducks, a Heron pursued by a 

 Peregrine dashed into the pipe. The man at once showed on them, ran 

 them into the tunnel net, and took them both. 



The means employed for catching are the dog and feeding, a number 

 of tame ducks being kept on the lake. The dog is of most use at the 

 beginning of the season. 



As the Decoy was worked by the proprietor principally for his own 

 amusement, the number of birds taken varied with the amount of time he 

 was able to devote to Decoying. 



Last Birds 

 taken. 



Feb. IS 



Feb. 1 1 



Feb. 14 



Feb. 26 



Feb. 23 



Feb. I o 



Feb. 23 



Feb. 22 



Duck. 



5 

 183 

 244 

 100 

 70 

 85 

 150 

 360 



Total. 



853 



1. 531 



1,368 



711 



802 



997 

 1,080 

 1,091 



The first pipe at this Decoy was constructed by a gamekeeper named 

 Sharpe, from Norfolk. Two others were made by George and T. Gilbert 

 Skelton, and one of the Williamses from Suffolk made the last. The Decoy 

 is situated within a short distance of the south shore of Milford Haven, a 

 large extent of water and ooze much frequented by wildfowl. 



