4 8 



BROADLAND SPORT 



Here let it be stated once and for all, that when using the 

 genuine stuffed bird great care must be taken, otherwise a 

 fresh batch will soon be needed. The attaching hole, it will 

 also be observed, is differently placed, and must be varied accord- 

 ing to circumstances. To the dead-line, however, we must 

 take exception, as in fleet water it would 

 be a great nuisance having to alter it, and 

 a lead or iron keel answers quite as well, 

 without the bother of extra strings. 



Figs. II. and III. are the shapes we in- 

 variably make and use, the former appearing 

 to answer best. Sometimes we have fixed 

 solid three-cornered blocks of wood, as shown 

 by the dotted lines in Fig. IV., the more in order to assimilate 

 the lines of a boat, but find that so doing adds considerably to 

 the weight, and is really no advantage. Therefore, we recom- 

 mend the would-be user, who thinks of turning out, or 

 superintending the manufacture of, his own decoys, to adopt 

 the patterns given in Figs. II., III. and IV. (without the 

 addition indicated by the dotted lines). Of course, the size of 

 the float-board equals the duck's measurement round the 

 water-line, and the depth of the keel can be made to fancy, 

 but six to ten inches will be found ample ; the amount of lead 

 on the keel being regulated in a great measure by the species 

 and weight of the wood used, otherwise the 

 bird will appear heavy and unnatural. The 

 desire being to liken each decoy to the 

 genuine bird as much as possible, weight it 

 accordingly, so that it will ride buoyantly 

 and lightly over the wavelets, neither plough- 

 ing through them nor allowing them to 

 dash over its head, neck and shoulders. In 

 carrying it is as well to have a separate bag, case or covering 

 for each bird, with a slit in the bottom for the keel to come 

 through ; for, as before mentioned, these stuffed decoys rarely 

 last long. In anchoring, some people attach a separate line 

 and weight to each bird used ; others place three in a line, 



