158 THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. 



small (Teal and Wigeon), and one shilling and fourpence a couple for large 

 fowl (Wild- Duck), or the usual price paid, whenever the same shall be 

 sent for." 



In this covenant the Decoy is alluded to as an ancient one. 



Aller. — A mile W. of Langport, north of the River Parrot, from which 

 it is distant a quarter of a mile, and south of King's Sedgemoor, there was 

 formerly a Decoy, on land known as Aller Moor, then the property of Sir 

 Alexander Hood. It had originally six pipes, subsequently reduced to four, 

 and the pool was between one and two acres in extent. It was given up 

 about 20 years ago in consequence of the continued decrease of fowl owing 

 to the cultivation of waste land in the neighbourhood, and its proximity to 

 the railway, from Yeovil to Durston. The trees and brushwood have 

 been cleared away, and the ground is now open like the rest of the 

 surrounding moor, the pond alone remaining, and that reduced in size. 



At one time this Decoy was carefully looked after, and was very 

 productive. The widow of a former lessee, now aged 86, states that 

 she well remembers her husband getting sometimes 20 dozen fowl in a 

 day, and that " hagglers " used to come from all parts and sometimes 

 paid ^20, for what they carried off. Another old resident in the parish 

 recollects as a boy seeing the Decoy covered with wildfowl " like the 

 dressing spread over a field." He had seen cartloads carried away, and 

 passing to or from the Decoy could often see 1,000 Ducks over his head. 

 The present rector of Aller, the Rev. J. G. Nicholson, who kindly favoured 

 me with this information, adds that he remembers seeing the Decoy in 

 1858, when it was still worked, but its yield had then greatly declined. It 

 is now numbered with things of the past. 



Godncy. — On a farm in the hamlet of Godney, 3^^ miles NW. of Glas- 

 tonbury, in the parish of that name, and belonging to Mr. Sherston of 

 Evercreech, is a field on Godney Moor which is known as " The Old 

 Decoy." Tradition points to the former existence here of a Decoy, of 

 which nothing but the name remains ; and, in reply to my inquiries, Mr. 

 Sherston was unable to supply any information concerning it. 



Wcstbuj-y Decoy, \\ miles W. of Westbury, on the N. bank of the 

 Axe. — This Decoy is placed within 400 paces of the Stoke Decoy, on its 

 SE. side in the direction of Wells. The two pools of Westbury and Stoke 

 being so close together, are alluded to as one Decoy, by Collinson (" Hist. 



