DECOYS. 449 



to their new position. The original Decoy is situated south 

 of the Castle, between the Stone Pond and the present Decoy, 

 which is now in the Blessington plantation close by. 



The new pipes were excavated under the direction of 

 Lord Fitzhardinge's Decoyman, from Berkeley Castle. The 

 new pool is about sixty yards square, and the pipes are at 

 the corners. The old Decoy was found to be too large, the 

 fowl keeping out of reach of the pipes and of the Decoyman. 

 The new Decoy, being much smaller, is more easily managed. 

 The first pipe made at Hornby on the old Decoy was made 

 by Harrison, Captain Healey's Decoyman at Ashby in Lincoln- 

 shire. Soon after T. Gilbert Skelton made another at the 

 north-west angle of the lake, and lastly old George Skelton 

 (junior) and the Rev. M. Fountaine added a third and fourth 

 in 1856. Finally, in 1882 as stated, the present Duke of Leeds 

 removed the netting, screens, and hoops to the new Decoy 

 hard by, and completed it with four pipes. 



This Decoy averages from 300 to 400 Ducks per season, 

 chiefly Mallard and Teal. On one occasion only has 1,000 

 birds been exceeded, in that instance some 1,500 were taken 

 by the Decoyman, Barrett. Once 250 fowl were captured in 

 a morning, and several times fifty to sixty Duck and Teal 

 have been taken at a drive. 



The Hornby Decoy, like the one at Osgodby, was con- 

 structed owing to the successes reported at Mr. Healey's 

 Ashby Decoy, in Lincolnshire. 



THIRKLEBY. At Thirkleby Park, the residence of Sir 

 Ralph Payne- Gallwey, Bart., three miles south of Thirsk, 

 a Decoy was constructed in 1885. It consists of an acre of 

 water and has three pipes. 



