430 HISTORY OF 



suspect danger, and would return back ; but they are now pre- 

 vented by the man, who shows himself at the broad end be- 

 low. Thither, therefore, they dare not return; and rise they 

 may not, as they are kept by the net above from ascending. 

 The only way left them, therefore, is the narrow-funnelled net 

 at the bottom ; into this they fly, and there they are taken. 



It often happens, however, that the wild fowl are in such a 

 state of sleepiness or dozing, that they will not follow the decoy- 

 ducks. Use is then generally made of a dog, who is taught his 

 lesson. He passes backward and forward between the reed- 

 hedges, in which there are little holes, both for the decoy-man 

 to see, and for the little dog to pass through. This attracts 

 the eye of the wild-fowl ; who, prompted by curiosity, advance 

 toward this little animal, while he all the time keeps playing 

 among the reeds, nearer and nearer the funnel, till they follow 

 him too far to recede. Sometimes the dog will not attract their 

 attention till a red handkerchief, or something very singular, be 

 put about him. The decoy-ducks never enter the funnel-net 

 with the rest, being taught to dive under water as soon as the 

 rest are driven in. 



The general season for catching fowl in decoys is from the 

 latter end of October till February. The taking them earlier 

 is prohibited by an act of George the Second, which imposes a 

 penalty of five shillings for every bird destroyed at any other 

 season. 



The Lincolnshire decoys are commonly let at a certain annual 

 rent, from five pounds to twenty pounds a year ; and some even 

 amount to thirty. These principally contribute to supply the 

 markets of London with wild- fowl. The number of ducks, 

 widgeon, and teal, that are sent thither is amazing. Above 

 thirty thousand have been sent up in one season from ten decoys 

 m the neighbourhood of Wainfleet. This quantity makes them 

 so cheap on the spot, that it is asserted, that several decoy-men 

 would be glad to contract for years to deliver their ducks at the 

 next town for ten pence the couple. 



To this manner of taking the wild-fowl in England, I will 

 subjoin another, still more extraordinary, frequently practised in 

 China. Whenever the fowler sees a number of ducks settled in 

 any particular plash of water, he sends off two or three gourds 

 to float among them. These gourds resemble our pompions j 



