THE ART OF CAPTURING WILD-FOWL BY DECOY. 0)7 



decoy-pipe with such about him. It is usual to keep a dress for the 

 purpose : g'ray or hg'ht-brown-coloured g-arments are best adapted 

 for the decoy. 



The decoyer must be cautious, in his operations at the pipe, not to 

 expose himself to the wild-fowl which may be upon the broad water ; 

 and to prevent this, the reed-screens are so ing-eniously placed that he 

 can easily avoid doing- so. The birds are supposed to have been en- 

 ticed far enoug-h up the pipe to ensure their capture, when arrived at 

 that screen where, owing to the curve in the pipe, nothing- can be 

 seen of their deluded companions by those remaining- in the pool.* 



The best time of day 'for taking- wild-fowl at the decoy is about 

 one or two o'clock ; and the best weather, cold, with severe frost. 



Wild-fowl sometimes alig'ht in decoys on moonlight nights, more 

 particularly when led there by wandering decoy-ducks. 



It is only by broad daylight that the decoyer practises his subtle- 

 ties : all attempts by moonlight would be fruitless. 



The general season for working- the decoy is from the end of 

 October to February. 



It must not be supposed that the whole of the birds in the decoy 

 are taken at once : there are generally several drifts, or separate en- 

 ticements, before a whole paddling can be secured. As many as five 

 or six dozen have been taken at a single haul, which is considered a 

 large number; and as many as an ordinary tunnel-net will hold. 

 When there are very large numbers of fowl in the pond, the decoyer 

 keeps at his art during the whole day, gradually thinning- the numbers 

 by a few dozens at every distinct enticement. 



In whatever part of the decoy the wild-fowl may be, the fowler 

 has means of discovering them, by peeping through some or other of 

 the reed-screens ; and thus he is able to reckon them up, observe 

 their movements, and discover whether they are banked or other- 

 wise : and if there are only a small number present, and it be not late 

 in the season, the fowler will not disturb them ; because he may 

 fairly expect them to return another day, when the chances are 

 much in favour of their being accompanied by a more numerous 

 retinue. Such is often the prestige of the decoyer. 



* " The whole art consists in this, that the birds within the pipes may see the 

 fowler, those in the pool not seeing hira. So, those only seeing him, these, not- 

 withstanding, often enter the pipes ; and so sometimes, besides those the fowler 

 drives before him, there are others taken the second or thii-d time." — Willufjhhifs 

 Ornithology ; hy Bay. 



