224 A HISTORY OF 



alpo, is to be hidden from the pool by a hedge of reeds along the mar- 

 gin, behind which the fowler manages his operations. The place be- 

 ing fitted in this manner, the fowler is to provide himself with a 

 number of wild ducks made tame, which are called decoys. These 

 are always to be fed at the mouth or entrance of the pipe, and to be 

 accustomed to come at a whistle. 



As soon as the evening is set in, the decoy rises, as they term it, 

 and the wild fowl feed during the night. If the evening be still, the 

 noise of their wings during their flight, is heard at a very great dis- 

 tance, and produces no unpleasing sensation. The fowler, when he 

 finds a fit opportunity, and sees his decoy covered with fowl, walks 

 about the pool, and observes into what pipe the birds gathered in the 

 pool may be enticed or driven. Then casting hemp-seed, or some 

 such seed as will float on the surface of the water, at the entrance, and 

 up along the pipe, he whistles to his decoy-ducks, who instantly obey 

 the summons, and come to the entrance of the pipe, in hopes of being 

 fed as usual. Thither also they are followed by a whole flock of wild 

 ones, who little suspect the danger preparing against them. Their 

 sense of smelling, however, is very exquisite ; and they would soon 

 discover their enemy, but that the fowler always keeps a piece of turf 

 burning at his nose, against which he breathes, and this prevents the 

 effluvia of his person from reaching their exquisite senses. The wild 

 ducks, therefore, pursuing the decoy-ducks, are led into the broad 

 mouth of the channel or pipe, nor have the least suspicion of the man, 

 who keeps hidden behind one of the hedges. When they have got 

 up the pipe, however, finding it grow more and more narrow, they 

 begin to suspect danger, and would return back ; but they are now 

 prevented by the man, who shows himself at the broad end below 

 Thither, therefore, they dare not return ; and rise they may not, as 

 they are kept by the net above from ascending. The only way left 

 them, therefore, is the narrow funnelled net at the bottom ; into this 

 they fly, and there they are taken. 



It often happens, however, that the wild-fowl are in such a state of 

 sleepiness or dozing, that they will not follow the decoy-ducks. Use 

 is then generally made of a dog, who is taught his lesson. He passes 

 backward and forward between the reed-hedges, in which there are 

 little holes, both for the decoy man to see, and for the little dog to 

 pass through. This attracts the eye of the wild -fowl ; who, prompted 

 by curiosity, advance towards this little animal, while he all the time 

 keeps playing among the reeds, nearer and nearer the funnel, till they 

 follow him too far to recede. Sometimes the dog will not attracf 

 their attention till a red handkerchief, 6r something very singular, be 

 put about him. The decoy-ducks never enter the funnel-net with the 

 rest, being taught to dive under water as soon as the rest are driven 

 in. 



The general season for catching fowl in decoys is from the latter 

 end of October till February. The taking them earlier is prohibited 

 by an act of George the Second, which imposes a penalty of five shil- 

 lings for every bird destroyed at any other season. 



The Lincolnshire decoys are commonly let at a certain annual rent, 

 from five pounds to twenty pounds a year ; and some even amount to 

 (hire?. These principally contribute to supply the markets of Lon 



