WANDERERS. 259 



must be maintained if the capture is to be a 

 fortunate one, for it is absolutely necessary that 

 the fowl should never leave the decoy-pond except 

 of their own accord. To be frightened off a few 

 times would ruin the working of it all, and heavy 

 penalties are incurred by wilful disturbance. "To 

 raise the coy " was the worst threat that any of the 

 more daring spirits could venture on in the marshes, 

 for the decoy was generally respected as sacred. 



In from the marshes proudly walked Craft on 

 the day after the conversation I have related, with 

 the strange bird, its beautiful head - plumes lov- 

 ingly arranged on the dark neck and shoulders. 



Craft was triumphant : he marched to " The 

 Royal Anchor" and showed his bird; the news 

 spread, and thither all the choicest spirits flocked 

 after him. What bird was it ? No one knew, but 

 it was universally set down as " a Frencher o' some 

 sort." Then one of them suggested that the bird 

 should be shown to Mr Grind the lawyer, who 

 was supposed to know everything. This was done, 

 but he said that he had never seen such a handsome 

 bird before, and did not in the least know what 

 it was. Then as a last resource they sent for 



