200 BIRD LIFE IN ENGLAND. 



It has been ingeniously suggested that the direction of 

 the prevailing wind in their remote summer quarters, when 

 our winter wildfowl rise to go south, may somewhat influence 

 their abundance or scarcity in certain localities, during the 

 next four months. This is plausible enough, and might ex- 

 plain why we have periods of abundance, and others of 

 scarcity, without much seeming regard to the ruling of the 

 weather. The whole subject of migration, and the laws 

 which govern it, are as yet imperfectly understood. They 

 form a rich field for working naturalists, who would find 

 much information collected ready for their use. 



In conclusion, I think that while our admirable insular 

 position will always assure us a fair portion on our seas of 

 whatever game is afoot (or rather on the wing) in Europe, 

 our inland waterfowl resources yet require to be husbanded, 

 if the mallard and the teal, with their curious and various 

 kindred, are not to be banished to remote Irish bogs and 

 inaccessible highland tarns. 



There are other dangers for the ducks on these shores 

 besides those with which the over-covetous gunner threatens 

 them. The decoying of the whole tribe is a curious art in 

 itself. 



DUCK DECOYS AND DEVICES. 



It is just at the winter season of the year that the wild- 

 fowler's hopes are at the highest whether he be the amateur, 

 floating over the saltings in his new punt, anxious to try the 

 range and scatter of a big gun from Holland's ; the pro- 

 fessional with weather-worn, but none the less deadly, gear, 

 or the fen man of nets and decoys each and all watch the 

 weather intently while meditating on the prospects of a 

 good winter's bag of wild duck, widgeon, teal, whichever 

 their locality best produces. The puntsman's and shore- 

 shooter's pastimes are well understood, but there is more 

 excitement and variety about the decoy man's fashion of 



