WATER FOWL. 427 



float on the surface of the water, at the entrance 

 and up along the pipe, he whistles to his decoy 

 ducks, who instantly obey the summons, and come 

 to the entrance of the pipe,' in hopes of being fed 

 as usual. Thither also they are followed by a 

 whole flock of wild ones, who little suspect the 

 danger preparing against them. Their sense of 

 smelling, however, is very exquisite, and they 

 would soon discover their enemy, but that the 

 fowler always keeps a piece of turf burning at his 

 nose, against which he breathes, and this prevents 

 the effluvia of his person from reaching their ex- 

 quisite senses. The wild ducks, therefore, pur- 

 suing the decoy ducks, are led into the broad 

 mouth of the channel or pipe, nor have the least 

 suspicion of the man, who keeps hidden behind 

 one of the hedges. When they have got up the 

 pipe, however, finding it grow more and more 

 narrow, they begin to suspect danger, and would 

 return back ; but they are now prevented by the 

 man, who shows himself at the broad end below. 

 Thither, therefore, they dare not return ; and rise 

 they may not, as they are kept by the net above 

 from ascending. The only way left them, there- 

 fore, is the narrow funnelled net at the bottom ; 

 into this they fly, and there they are taken. 



It often happens, however, that the wild fowl 

 are in such a state of sleepiness or dozing that 

 they will not follow the decoy ducks. Use is then 

 generally made of a dog, who is taught his lesson. 

 He passes backward and forward between the 

 reed-hedges, in which there are little holes, both 



