SWIMMERS. 



305 



birds are taken in a very ingenious trap, called a decoy. It is a 

 perfect edifice of poles and nets, and is built in the form of a tube, 

 very wide at the mouth, and very narrow at the extremity. The 

 ducks are induced to enter the " pipe" by the antics of a dog, and 

 by some hemp-seed previously 

 strewn on the water. They 

 are then driven onwards to 

 the smaller end, where thej 

 are caught and killed. . 



The Tame Duck is so 

 well known as to need no de- 

 scription. The manner in 



which it fights the cock is highly amusing, and but little known. 

 It frequently happens while the fowls are being fed, that the duck 

 runs among them, and by his larger beak, gobbles up an undue 

 share of the provisions. This the cock resents by giving him a 



WUd Duck. 



MaocoTj Duck. 



peck. The duck takes no notice, but gets behind the cock, deals 

 him a hard peck, and looks innocent. The cock jumps round, but 

 sees nothing. Presently another hard peck comes, and he is very 

 angry. A third peck — but this time the cock sees his enemy, 

 26* II 



