2 1 6 Poachers a n d Poach ing. 



stituted tracts alike favourable for food and 

 nesting, and for the most part the birds were 

 undisturbed. But as the plough invaded their 

 haunts the marsh was converted into corn-land, 

 and from that time the breeding sea-fowl have 

 steadily declined in numbers. The oldest decoys 

 were merely adapted sheets of water, but when 

 these, by virtue of having been drained, were no 

 longer available, artificial ones were constructed 

 in likely situations and planted round with 

 timber to secure their privacy. Many of the 

 decoys were farmed by fowlers, and the more 

 valuable afforded a considerable source of revenue 

 to the owners. Speaking of the dwellers in Croy- 

 land, Camden says that: " Their greatest gain is 

 from the fish and wild ducks that they catch, which 

 are so many, that in August they can drive at 

 once into a single net three thousand ducks." 

 He further adds that they call the pools in 

 which the ducks are obtained their corn-fields, 

 though there is no corn grown for miles round. 

 For the privilege of taking fish and fowl three 

 hundred pounds sterling were originally paid to 

 the Abbots of Croyland, and afterwards to the 

 king. Although the " driving of ducks " was 

 allowed, a code of Fen laws decreed that neither 

 nets nor engines should be used against the fowl 

 " commonly called moulted ducks " before mid- 

 summer day yearly. In the early days of the 

 decoys enormous quantities of fowl were taken 



