68 THE FOWLER .IN IRELAND. 



dog ; but by feeding the birds up the pipes (of 

 which there are only two), together with a few tame 

 ducks. The average take is about three hundred 

 fowl in the season. 



Desart. Lord Desart says that his decoy of late 

 years has been very nearly a failure. The ducks 

 come as usual in large numbers during November, 

 but for some unknown reason the decoyman takes 

 but few compared to what he used to do. The 

 foxes are here great enemies to the tame decoy 

 ducks, and often manage to destroy them. 



Athy. Mr. Webber's decoy was constructed 

 some forty years ago. It was not worked regularly 

 till 1873, when it was much improved by the 

 formation of new pipes, and improved protection 

 for the fowl. Since then there has been a fair take 

 every season, varying from 1,000 to 3,000 birds. 

 The water covers about twelve acres, and is fre- 

 quented in winter by immense flights of Duck, 

 Wigeon, and Teal, which there find all the natural 

 advantages which suit them. The decoy is worked 

 with a dog and a few tamed birds, and it has (the 

 owner says) proved a most interesting as well as a 

 profitable pursuit. 



There was formerly a decoy at Caledon, but it 

 is not now worked, nor has it been in order for 

 some time past. It was dismantled by Lord Cale- 

 don after being in disuse for several years. The 

 eight pipes are now overgrown with tall trees, which 

 are occupied as a heronry. Being some distance 

 from the sea, the " lead " of wildfowl was rather 

 uncertain, but, when in use, from two to four hun- 

 dred fowl were sometimes taken in a week, and as 



