EIRDS. 



429 



chosen, the pool, if possible, is to be planted round with willows, 

 unless a wood answers the purpose of shading it on every side. 

 On the south and north side of this pool are two, three, or four 

 ditches or channels, made broad towards the pool, and growing 

 narrower till they end in a point These channels are to be 

 covered over with nets, supported by hooped sticks bending from 

 one side to the other; so that they form a vault or aich growing 

 narrower and narrower to the point, where it is terminated by a 

 tunnel-net, like that in which fish are caught in weirs. Along 

 the banks of these channels so netted over, which are called 

 pipes, many hedges are made of reeds slanting to the edge of the 

 channel, the acute angles to the side next the pool The whole 

 apparatus, also, is to be hidden from the pool by a hedge of reeds 

 along the margin, behind which the fowler manages his opera- 

 tions. The place being fitted in this manner, the fowler is to 

 provide himself with a number of wild ducks made tame, which 

 are called decoys. These are always to be fed at the mouth of 

 entrance of the pipe, and to be accustomed to come at a whistle. 

 As soon as the evening is set in, the decoy rises, as they term 

 it, and the wild- fowl feed during the night. If the evening be 

 Btill, the noise of their wings, during their flight, is heard at a 

 very great distance, and produces no unpleasing sensation. The 

 fowler, when he finds a fit opportunity, and sees his decoy cov- 

 ered with fowl, walks about the pool, and observes into what 

 pipe the birds gathered in the pool may be enticed or driven. 

 Then casting hemp-seed, or some such seed as will float on the 

 surface of the water, at the entrance, and up along the pipe, lie 

 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 reach- 

 ing their exquisite senses. The wild ducks, therefore, pursuing 

 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 pi|>f, 

 however, finding it grow more and more narrow, they begin lo 



