306 THE TEAL. 



the wind and water. Some authors speak of varieties 

 of this bird as summer teal, &c. Buffon is- clearly 

 wrong in his description of a bird, of a much greater 

 size, in classing it as a teal. Its eggs are of the size 

 of those of the pigeon ; they are white, with brown spots. 

 The teal decoy used to be made after this recipe : 

 Where a pond, environed by a wood, is found, the 

 decoy is to be raised. This should be planted round 

 with willows, if possible (in the event of the wood not 

 clothing it sufficiently). Three or four pipes, or 

 channels are then to be dug, broad towards the pond, 

 and verging, point-like, towards the end. These are 

 to be covered with nets, supported by hooped sticks, 

 bending from one side to another, and so forming a 

 sort of archway, or vault, gradually growing narrower 

 to the point at which it is terminated by a tunnel 

 net; reed hedges, should slant to the edges of the 

 pipes or channels, which are thus hidden from the 

 sight, and behind which the fowler places himself, to 

 pursue his operation. When the wild fowl come 

 down at night to feed, the decoy whistle is raised ; the 

 decoy is covered with teal, brought thither by the 

 fowler's art, who has scattered the nets over with 

 hemp seed, &c. The decoy ducks begin to pick up 

 the grain, and the wild fowl quickly imitate their 

 example, and thus are secured in the net, the fowler 

 burning a piece of turf at his nose, that their exqui- 

 site sense of smelling may not put them on guard. 

 In frosty weather these birds come together in flocks 

 of from twenty to thirty, but are generally found 



