DECOYS FOB DUCKS. 65 



DECOYS FOR DUCKS. 



THE contrivances called decoys are generally confined 

 to the fenny countries. They are large ponds, dug in the 

 fens, with four or five creeks, running from them to a 

 great length, and each growing gradually narrower till 

 it comes to a point. The banks are well planted with 

 willows, sallows, osiers, and similar kinds of underwood. 

 Into these ponds the fowls are enticed by ducks bred up 

 tame for the purpose ; (for the decoy-ducks, being fed 

 constantly at certain places, become at length so familiar 

 as to feed out of the hand ;) and, as they are not con- 

 fined, they fly abroad and return at pleasure. During 

 the proper season of the year they take frequent flights, 

 and sometimes, after being gone several weeks, return 

 home with numerous flocks of fowl. As soon as the 

 decoy-man perceives the flocks settled in the pond, he 

 goes down secretly to the angles of it, under cover of 

 hedges made with reeds, and then throws a quantity of 

 corn into such shallow places as the decoy ducks are 

 accustomed to, to which they immediately resort, fol- 

 lowed by the strangers. Thus they are every day enter- 

 tained without any disturbance, the bait being some- 

 times thrown into one place and sometimes into another, 

 till they are insensibly led into the narrow canals of the 

 pond, where the trees on each side hang over-head like 

 an arbour, though at a considerable height from the 

 water. Here the boughs are conducted with such art, 



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