THE HISTORY OF DECOYS. 31 



and this may, in a measure, account for the guarded, unsatisfactory, 

 and reluctant manner in which the subject has been approached. 



The proceedings within a retired enclosure, where Nature reveals 

 some of her most admirable works, and animal instinct appears in its 

 most bewitching garb, cannot fail to exalt the feelings of man, and 

 teach an exceedingly amusing and instructive lesson. 



It is clear that our continental neighbours were, long ago, thoroughly 

 awake to the art of taking wild-fowl by decoy ; which they considered 

 the most attractive sport in the world.* 



And it is evident that decoys were constructed in Holland with 

 great skill, and employed very successfully ; for we find it suggested by 

 a French writer of authority, that large estates belonging to lords of 

 manors, and possessing the conveniences for decoys, should be provided 

 with such. But it is specially recommended, that fowlers from 

 the Netherlands should be hired to construct them ; who should 

 bring with them trained ducks, which, mixing with wild ones during- 

 the night, would return in the morning- to the decoy, and entice 

 several of their new acquaintances to follow them.f The same author 

 carefully abstains from enlightening his readers upon the subject ; 

 but simply states, he shall say nothing upon the construction of the 

 said decoys, nor of the manner in which the wild ducks are taken, 

 because, he adds, it is necessary to see the decoys made, and learn 

 from thence all the tricks that are used for taldng- as many as may 

 be desired. J: 



An early English writer upon fowling^ is equally guarded in his 

 remarks upon the decoy ; and although he states that a long discom'se 

 might be written upon the subject, he simply follows in the steps of 

 the French writer, by recommending his readers requuing information 

 upon decoys to inspect those already made.|| 



* " II se fait en ces mares les plus beans coups du monde." — Le Parfait 

 Chasseur ; -par M. De Selincourt : a.d. 1683. 



t " Quand un terre est fort seigneuriale, de grand etendue, qu'il y a des etangs, 

 de grandes prairies, de grand marals, on j doit faire des canardieres, et pour cet effet, 

 on doit faire venit des gens du pais bas pour les construire ; lesquels apportent avee 

 eus des canards dresses qui se meslent parmi tons les autres sauvages toute la nuit, 

 et le matin ils revieunent a la canardiere et en emmenent avee eux plusieurs sau- 

 vages." — Selincourt.. 



X " Je ne dis rien de la construction desdites canardieres, ou de la faQon et maniere 

 dont ou prend les canards sauvages qui sont ameues par les prives, parce qu'U faut 

 voit faire les canardieres et apprendre d'eux toutes les ruses dont ils se servent piour 

 en prendre tant qu'ils veulent." — Ibid. 



§ Blome. 



II " The manner of doing it, and the making of the decoy pond, wnth the several 

 apartments belonging to it, requires a long discourse ; nor, indeed, can any jiar- 



