25 6 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



whole of the cleared space is covered by a net hung 

 about two feet above the water. In the evening 

 the decoy is floated in the water a little distance 

 away from the trap and a thin string is attached 

 to it, the other end being in the hands of the bestar, 

 who is carefully concealed among some bushes or 

 other shelter on the bank. On the approach of the 

 flock at dusk the decoy is made to bob about in a 

 most odd manner. This attracts the wild duck 

 which swim up to know what is wrong with one of 

 their number, as they imagine the decoy to be. The 

 bobbing stops on the near approach of the wild 

 birds, and the decoy swims off in the direction of 

 the trap, being drawn that way by the string in 

 the hands of the bestar. Soon the flock follows, 

 and are gradually led into the funnel. When the 

 flock is well within the trap, the net at the mouth 

 is dropped, and the birds secured. 



I did not on this occasion see the decoy used and 

 the wild duck captured alive, but I saw the bestar 

 at work with the pots. A singular incident occurred 

 while the bestar was among the flock of wild ducks. 

 He had drawn down several when suddenly we 

 saw the pot turn over and a great splashing ensue 

 in the water. The ducks took to flight while the 

 bestar kept shouting that a mugger had seized him 

 by the leg and was drawing him into the water. 

 Fancying there might be some truth in his assertion, 

 as crocodiles had been known to stray away from 

 the trench round the Vellore Fort, where these crea- 

 tures were to be seen in large numbers (being pro- 

 bably put there in the first instance as one of the 



