HISTORY OF DECOYS. 203 



Mr. Van Heckn has shipped 33,000 ducks (according to the above scale 

 representing 50,000 birds) from Friesland alone in a season, and fully 

 double the number from Dordrecht. 



He has sent off 800 woodcock in a week. These were from Drenthe 

 and were caught in nets. He also gets snipes in numbers from near 

 Saardam in North Holland ; also golden Plover, on one occasion he sent 

 away from Friesland 26,000 of the latter birds in a week. 



Wild Geese are not in demand, but Mr. Van Heckn often deals in 

 Bitterns. 



There is a great difference in the seasons. Frost is bad, as it drives 

 the birds out of the country. 



Wet winters are most productive. 



The Decoy season commences in August and ends the last day of 

 March. 



The early season is mostly for Teal and homebred birds, but these 

 are at that time not very saleable having to compete with Game in the 

 markets. 



In Paris durine Lent there is a grood sale for what are termed blue 

 legged Wildfowl, such as Scaup, Tufted Duck and other divers, these being 

 regarded by Catholics as being of such fishy flavour that they are allowed 

 to be used as food in fasts. 



In Holland there are both sea coast as well as inland Decoys. The 

 latter do best in wet, and the former in dry weather, when there are no 

 inundations. 



Mr. Van Heckn's Decoy is a sea Decoy, it is (or was) situated on 

 the Island of Rosenburg at the mouth of the Maas. The Island is 

 1,500 acres in extent, mostly pasture, excepting the 14 acres of osiers in 

 which the Decoy pool is placed. For the Decoy a rent of £6-, a year 

 is paid, but the lessee also rents the shooting over the entire island for 

 the purpose of keeping off intruders with guns. 



The Decoy is a large one with 6 pipes and caught 7,000 fowl 

 the season Mr. C. Taylor inspected it. Mr. Taylor tells me that 

 he paid a visit to Mr. Van Heckn's menage, where he packs and ships 

 the birds, and saw about 300 live wildfowl, consisting of Wigeon, Teal, 

 Garganey, Pintails, Tufted Ducks and Golden Eyes, besides a number 

 of Brent Geese all ready to be sent off to London. Tlie birds were 



