106 SHOOTING THE DUCK 



all, will desert them permanently. A fortnight be- 

 tween each shooting may be regarded as the minimum 

 interval it is wise to allow. 



We come now to the question of luring wild duck 

 to frequent a certain piece of water as a feeding spot, 

 and to afford sport at flight-time. When practised 

 near a part of the coast, or any inland district fre- 

 quented by duck, the system I am about briefly to 

 describe invariably commands success. 



There must be a pond, either natural or artificial, 

 to serve as the home of the decoy birds. Though 

 quite a small piece of water will answer the purpose 

 in view, it is advisable that the pond be not less than 

 a quarter of an acre in extent, while half an acre is 

 better. A perfect pond can be made at small expense 

 by cutting a pan athwart a marsh dyke. There should 

 be some rough cover dotted round the water; the 

 bank should shelve gently and should be of consider- 

 able area. It is here that corn is scattered, and it is 

 one's object to ensure that the decoy birds and birds 

 flighting early shall be unable to clear up the food 

 before the advent of late arrivals. Scattering grain 

 thinly over a wide surface achieves this end. 



The decoy birds may be either a cross between 

 the common tame duck and the mallard, or a further 

 cross having the half-bred bird as one parent and 



