DUCK-DECOYS. 381 



of keeping a piece of turf burning to prevent their scenting 

 him. 



Along each pipe at certain intervals are placed the reed 

 screens which hide the decoy-man until the moment when it 

 is necessary for him to show himself, namely, when the birds 

 have passed up the pipe to which they are led by the trained 

 birds, who know the whistle of the decoy-man, or are enticed 

 by the hempseed. A dog which is generally preferred of a 

 reddish colour, is also trained to play backwards and forwards 

 between the screens ; and by suddenly appearing and running 

 round a screen, the birds are attracted towards him. When 

 a sufficient number of Ducks have thus fairly passed up the 

 pipe, the decoy-man comes forward from behind the screens, 

 upon which the whole flock, unable to fly upwards on account 

 of the hoop-net above, rush onwards to a funnel-net which 

 opens on the land, where they are caught without difficulty ; 

 the trained birds are of course immediately turned loose again. 

 If well managed, a good decoy has been known to produce 

 several hundred pounds a year. 



Many birds manifest almost reasoning powers in eluding 

 pursuit, or turning attention from their nests and young; 

 but few perhaps more than the Duck tribe, of which the 

 following may be adduced as an instance, from Captain 

 Back's Narrative of his Arctic Land Expedition, p. 249. 

 One of his companions, Mr. King, having killed a female 

 Duck, fired again, and, as he thought, disabled its com- 

 panion, a fine Drake. Accordingly, leaving the dead bird, 

 which he had the mortification of seeing, in a few minutes 

 afterwards, carried off by one of the white-headed Eagles, he 

 waded into the water after the Drake, which, far from being 

 fluttered or alarmed, remained motionless, as if waiting to be 

 taken up. Still, as he neared it, it glided easily away through 

 innumerable little nooks and windings. Several times he 

 extended his arm to catch it ; and having at last, with great 

 patience, managed to coop it up in a corner, from whence there 

 appeared to be no escape, he was triumphantly bending down 

 to take it, when, to his utter astonishment, after two or 

 three flounders, it looked around, cried " quack," and then 



