MODE OF CAPTURE. 79 



The secrecy and science decoymen affect is very 

 foolish, and is commonly practised lest a curious 

 visitor should discover what a very simple feat 

 taking fowl in a decoy really is, when divested of 

 the mystery with which its management is pur- 

 posely shrouded. 



There are three methods by which Ducks are 

 tempted far enough up a decoy pipe in order to cut 

 off their retreat, and achieve a capture. First, by 

 strewing food up the pipe and near its entrance, such 

 as bruised oats or other floating grain. Secondly, 

 by feeding the decoy ducks up the pipe ; these 

 the wild birds will often follow to get their share 

 of the food they see the tame ones devouring. 

 Thirdly, by the use of a dog. When, for example, 

 the wild birds hesitate to follow the tame ducks up 

 the pipe to join them in seeking the grain thrown 

 into it by the fowler from behind the screens, then 

 the dog suddenly leaps into view, and the next 

 instant vanishes, and they are thus enticed by his 

 strange and sudden appearance far enough up the 

 pipe for their retreat to be intercepted by the fowler. 



The mode of securing fowl is always the same, 

 and consists in alluring them by one of these 

 devices to such a distance up the pipe, that the 

 decoyman can run swiftly past them behind his 

 shelters and, unperceived by the fowl, reach the 

 entrance.* The entrapped birds, rather than fly 



* Every screen, except the long back ones, has a peep-hole, that 

 the fowler may see all that is going on in the ditch and pool. A little 

 pipe of tin should be stuck in the reeds of the shelters to look through, 

 at a convenient height, and may be six inches long and a half inch 

 in diameter, and a little wider at the mouth than where it is placed to 

 the eve. 



