238 ANIMALS AT WORK AND PLA Y 



includes snipe, wood cock, teal, herons, gadwall, poch- 

 ards, golden-eyes, swans, coots, moorhens, tufted duck, 

 pintail, widgeon, shovellers, water-rails, gulls, kingfishers, 

 and a sand-grouse. But it is in the economy of the 

 ' decoys ' that the nearest approach to the establish- 

 ment of sanctuaries on a large scale is now seen. 



Sir Thomas Browne was right when he attributed 

 the abundance of wild fowl in Norfolk to the ' very 

 many decoys, especially between Norwich and the 

 sea/ ' It may seem strange,' writes Mr Stevenson, 

 the author of The Birds of Norfolk, ' to speak of 

 the decoy, perhaps the most deadly engine ever in- 

 vented for the purpose of luring wild fowl to their 

 destruction, as being favourable to their abundance ; 

 but it is strictly in accordance with fact. The great 

 attraction of the decoy pond is its absolute seclusion ; 

 here, the fowl which return in the morning from 

 their nocturnal feeding grounds find perfect rest, and 

 pass their time peacefully, in happy unconsciousness 

 of the destruction which may be going on within 

 a few yards of them/ Decoys are being revived 

 both in Norfolk and Suffolk. The main require- 

 ment for success is proximity to the coast, and 

 absolute quiet, with, if possible, a thick plantation 

 round the pool. The conditions which attract fowl 

 to the decoy, would serve equally to establish a 

 sanctuary in any of the home counties, or near any 



