HISTORY OF DECOYS. 195 



County of Sligo. 

 Decoys in use. Decoys not in use. 



None. I Markree Castle. 



Markree Castle, 8 miles S. of Sligo, the seat of Colonel E. H, 

 Cooper. 



A Decoy-pipe was constructed here in connection with a large lake of 

 100 acres, but proved a failure owing to the large extent of water it was 

 attached to. Another pipe was nearly completed, but given up by the 

 owner on his finding the first pipe made did not succeed. Both were the 

 work of T. G. Skelton, and were made about the year i860. 



County Tipperary. 



Kilcooley Abbey. — 'There was a Decoy here on the property of the 

 late Mr. C. B. Ponsonby. It was discontinued about 1868. It was a 

 small pool of but half an acre, with four pipes, and was made by Sir W. 

 Barker in 1 750, but was given up a score years ago, owing to its non- 

 success consequent on some large marshes near it being drained. 



County Tyrone. 

 Decoys in use. Decoys not in use. 



None. I Caledon House. 



Calcdon Hotise, the residence of the Earl of Caledon, 8 miles NE. 

 of Monaghan, in the southern corner of the county of Tyrone, where it 

 touches on the counties of Monaghan and Armagh. 



This Decoy, one of the best ever made, was constructed by William 

 Skelton in 1846. It has eight pipes and in area consists of a little over 

 two acres and a half. It has been out of repair for about a score years. 

 In its successful days the Caledon Decoy sometimes accounted for from 

 two to three thousand fowl in a season, and on many occasions fifty to 

 sixty Duck were taken at a drive, and now and then over a hundred. 



