268 



ANATIDJE. 



divisions for the dog to pass over, and also for the man to 

 appear at when driving the fowl. 



The water forming the decoy should be surrounded with 

 a fence of reeds three or four feet high to prevent the 

 decoy Ducks from getting out of it. About Midsummer 

 is the time to put them into the water, and commence 

 training them, which is a very important part in the art of 

 decoying; they should be young birds, and made very tame, 

 taught to come to any pipe from all parts of the water 

 whenever they are whistled, and to prevent them flying 

 they should be pinioned. 



In working a decoy it is best to go to that pipe at which 

 the wind blows from the tunnel net to the bend of the 

 pipe ; by doing so all scent of the person at work is carried 

 away from the fowl in the pipe, and as all wild-fowl by 

 choice rise head to wind, there are generally more taken 

 with the wind in that direction than any other. During 



