4 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



They are also birds of marked discipline : they fly in rank, and march 

 in a body ; and when an enemy (as a hawk or weasel) ventm'es to dis- 

 turb their privacy, and an attack upon the intruder is contemplated, 

 it is always made in troop. Both by night and day they have sen- 

 tinels on constant duty, to give warning of the enemy's movements j 

 and so vigilant are they, and so awake to suspicion, that more than 

 ordinary perseverance and ingenuity are requisite on the part of the 

 wild-fowler to ensure success. They are fond of assembhng in large 

 flocks, particularly in cold weather: when dispersed, they appear 

 unsettled, and less capable of taking care of themselves. 



Wild-fowl, as a dietary article, were always esteemed luxuries j 

 and by the ancient, as well as, the modern Apician, their flesh has 

 been considered more wholesome, and easier of digestion, than that of 

 tame fowls. Yet, in former times it would seem, that the distinction 

 between such fowl as are now classed among dainties, and such as 

 are mere carrion, was not then observed. Sea-gulls, as well as 

 several other such unpalatable morsels, were deemed fit articles of 

 food for the nobleman's table ;* and, by way of fiu'ther illustration of 

 the extraordinary bad taste which prevailed in tho^e days, it may 

 be added — some of the most delicious birds that fly, were excluded 

 from the table when any other sort of wild-fowl could be had.f 



The arts and contrivances for taking water-fowl alive, are chiefly 

 of very ancient origin ; and some of them are most quaint and 

 amusing. The authors who have written upon the subject are few in 

 number, but they have left some highly instructive accounts of their 

 ingenious arts ; many branches of which have fallen into desuetude, 

 since the numbers of wild-fowl bred in this country have so consider- 

 ably decreased, through the extensive drainage of their original breed- 

 ing haunts. 



The age when decoys were prevalent may be appropriately termed 

 the " middle age" of wild-fowling; all previous systems of taking 

 wildfowl by nets, snares, lime-strings, lime-twigs, lime-rods, and 

 otherwise, sink into insignificance when compared with the pecidiar 

 ingenuities of the decoy, and the subsidiary schemes of the flight- 

 pond. But after the mischief incurred to decoys by the ubiquitous 

 system of land-draining, the successes of the decoyer were considera- 



* " MounetUy. Item it ia thought good that See-gulles be hade for my Lordes 

 owne mees and non other so they be good and in season and at jd. a pece or jd. ob. 

 at the moste."—Northimiherkmd Household Booh temp. Hon. VIII. 



t " Item it is thouglit good that noo Teyllcs [Teal] be bought, bot if so be that 

 other Wyldofowll cannot bo gottyn and to be at jd. a pece."— /bi^. 



