i06 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



existing Lord Fitzliardingo had two decoys in 

 full work), and we dismounted to see some ducks 

 taken. The usual Avell-trained little cur-dog was 

 shown through the accustomed holeSj but not a 

 duck would follow him, there being no strange 

 birds there, or, if there were a few, they were 

 so few that they w^ere kept back by the wary 

 flock, and failed to come on. Having a fox's 

 brush in my pocket, I tied it to the cur-dog's 

 tail, and put him through again. This appendage 

 was a novelty to the birds — a novelty there, but a 

 sight they were, no doubt, well acquainted with 

 elsewhere, for the Vale of Berkeley was full 

 of foxes, and all the ducks without further hesita- 

 tion came after the fox's brush up to the pipe, 

 and we made a very good caj^ture. To do the 

 thing well by these '^ taking deco}^s," the fowl 

 should be regularly fed with barley; the corn 

 put in every night while the ducks were out. 

 In times of hard frost, the ice on the pool should 

 always be broken some little time before daylight, 

 time enougli to complete the w^ork Avell before 

 a symptom of the dawn, so as to receive the 

 ducks on their return, and then, when the fowl 

 arc in any quantity, they will keep the water 



