2 1 8 Poachers and Poaching. 



interesting as showing not only the number of 

 divers taken, but also a record of the species. 

 That the migratory fowl return to the same 

 waters year after year is confirmed by the fact 

 that at the Ashby Decoy, already referred to, a 

 "grey" duck with a conspicuous white neck 

 spent eight winters there ; and another abnor- 

 mally coloured one visited it regularly for four 

 or five years. 



The duck decoys, once common throughout the 

 country, fell into general disuse about the begin- 

 ning of the present century ; and their decline 

 has been contemporaneous with the improve- 

 ments made in firearms and all relating to 

 shooting. Often as many marine ducks are 

 bagged by one shot from a punt gun as the 

 fowler can take in a day, and whilst the former 

 can follow the birds, the latter must wait for 

 their coming before he can commence decoying.. 



Duck decoying is one of the most interesting 

 phases of woodcraft, and really skilled modern 

 fowlers are as rare as trained falconers. More- 

 over, decoying is one of the fine arts. The 

 decoy-man surrounds his craft with as much 

 mystery as the old fish poacher his preparation 

 of salmon roe, and fowling secrets are often kept 

 in families for generations. 



The best decoys are those about two or three 

 acres in extent, and surrounded with wood. On 

 larger ones fowl are difficult to work, and al- 



