54 BROADLAND SPORT 



eyehole ; the third is attached in a similar way, with the 

 exception of an anchor-line running from its after eyehole, 

 keeping all three at regular intervals, and in the required 

 position. An anchor is hardly required in a high wind 

 or good breeze. 



Another method for securing three decoys, which is 

 equally good, if not better than the former mentioned, is, 

 with the assistance of the four-in-hand cross-bar arrange- 

 ment, or diminutive square sail yard, shown in Fig. V. The 

 pole is somewhere about five feet in length, and cut from 

 green wood, sallow, or osier, so that it barely floats ; not 

 too large, but just large enough, that is, sufficient to bear 

 the necessary strain. The middle bird is tied to the stick 



by kyah (Indian grass rope), 

 which floats, and is half as 

 short again in length as the 

 two other lines of hemp or 

 manilla, which sink, besides 

 being double the length of 

 the middle ones. The reason 

 i g obvious, as, by so doing, 

 fouling is almost impossible. 

 The main anchor runs from 



FIG. V. 



the very centre of the pole. 



Here also, as well as in the anchoring of single birds, a 

 slight, simple and effective plan is often resorted to, which 

 is as follows: If you wish your birds to be sedate and 

 steady, fasten the anchor-line exactly to the middle of their 

 cutwater. But if (as is mostly practised) you wish them to 

 swim about in a restless and animated manner, fasten the 

 line slightly lower down, when the desired result will be 

 arrived at. It is wonderful how natural they appear when 

 laid out by a cute hand. 



The hoop is of great assistance in likening the dummy 

 to a live bird, and is an ingenious device. A wooden hoop 

 with a diameter of about three feet is procured, its edge being 

 most carefully smoothed to allow a wire ring to run round it 



