DECOYS FOR WILD FOWL. 229 



pools which arc shot in, and where tlie wild 

 flights, on account of the greater breadth of 

 water, mostly haunt, they need only be fed at 

 night, after flight-time has well begun, and the 

 ducks are all away. On their return in the 

 morning, they find a welcome repast ; and by 

 tliis ]nanagement the keeper taking down tlie 

 food in no way disturbs the fowl. The home- 

 reared ducks seldom go far aw^ay at night, at 

 least, never so far as salt water; but the wild 

 flights always do^ as they feed on the muds of 

 the harbour. So the former require food twice 

 a day or more in their own unscared decoy, and 

 when the keeper goes to feed them it matters 

 not if he puts up any strangers, as they only go 

 to the larger pools and mingle with their fellows. 



In feeding pheasants as well as ducks the 

 moment of feeding should be rigorously kept, and 

 then all birds so fed will be found collected at 

 the right time, and it is fatal to the object in 

 view ever to disappoint tJiem. 



And now as to the disturbance caused by the 

 report of a gun: all birds, j^heasants in tlieir 

 covers, and home-bred ducks in their decoy joool, 

 can be made steady to fire when they are on 



