BIRDS OF PREY 147 



good, and they fetch a fair price in the market. 

 Some of the men who can be trusted not to meddle 

 with ground game, nor to get into the covers, get 

 permission from the farmers to shoot all they can on 

 their grounds leaving a brace or tw6 now and then 

 for the owner's use when required. 



That most wary bird, the woodpigeon, is decoyed 

 within shot in this way. Close to the edge of the 

 wood a rough shelter is made, looking much like 

 a heap of copse trimming, thrown together in as 

 scrambling or loose a fashion as possible. In a line 

 with it, and within reach of the man's heavy gun, 

 a little corn is dropped just enough to make a show 

 Indian corn, also peas. About midway, or perhaps 

 not quite so far, a tame woodpigeon is secured by 

 a string tied round one of his legs, and fastened to a 

 peg in the ground. Food is placed there, and water 

 given him ; and then the shooter gets into his hiding- 

 place. There will have been a frost in the night, 

 probably, the sky is clear and bright, the air bracing, 

 and there is a light breeze, causing the faded leaves 

 to fall in showers of varied tints all round. The 

 decoy bird is very comfortable the position is not 

 new to him ; he walks about as far as his tethor will 

 allow him, bows his head, struts and coos. Here 

 comes a flock for their breakfast ; they see him, and 



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