220 Poachers and Poaching. 



of the process, the ducks should be young, 

 made very tame, and taught to come to any 

 pipe from all parts of the pool when they 

 are whistled. Previously these have been 

 pinioned to prevent their flying away, and they 

 cannot leave the lake. Still another requisite 

 is a well-trained dog. Custom has always 

 established that this shall be red and as 

 " foxy "-looking as possible; and certainly dogs 

 of this colour prove especially attractive to wild- 

 fowl. 



About the beginning of September mallard 

 and teal begin to congregate in the decoys, and 

 a month later, if easterly winds prevail, there 

 will probably be a flight of fowl from the north, 

 consisting of mallards, teal, widgeon, pochards, 

 and shovellers. These are attracted to the 

 decoys by the resident birds, but more because 

 it is their habit to fly off at dusk, and return at 

 daybreak to sleep and enjoy themselves in the 

 fancied security of the reedy pool. 



Nothing requires more care and judgment 

 than the successful decoying of ducks. It is 

 carried on most successfully between nine 

 and ten in the morning and three and four 

 in the afternoon. In open weather the fowl 

 are captured almost entirely by means of the 

 dog, but as soon as frost sets in they are 

 taken by feeding them in the pipe, and keep- 

 ing a piece of water constantly open near 



