﻿90 ANATID/E. 



he does the same at the next screen and so on, until 

 the party enters the funnel, when a trained spaniel shews 

 himself, and on a sudden the man appears also ; this 

 induces the ducks to go head-foremost to their destruc- 

 tion, and a trap-door of net-work being quickly raised pre- 

 vents any from escaping. The decoyman then opens the 

 end of the funnel, and takes one after the other out, and 

 wrings its neck ; as soon as the strangers are thus disposed of, 

 the decoy-duck returns to the pond in pursuit of his 

 vocation. 



Another manner is also adopted by means of clap-nets, 

 such as our common bird-catchers use for catching linnets, 

 goldfinches, &c. ; with this difference, namely, that the nets 

 are spread open about six inches under water instead of being 

 on dry ground : the ground is some very even grass kept 

 clean for the purpose, and covered with water when required, 

 by means of reservoirs or other contrivances ; the call-birds 

 are harnessed and pegged to the spot, allowing them a 

 couple of feet range in swimming. The nets are of much 

 larger dimensions than those used for small birds, and the 

 materials much stronger ; the line that draws the nets over 

 the ducks as soon as they are swimming in the right spot, 

 requiring a considerable strength, is managed by means of a 

 machine made of wood ; this method is a very successful 

 one, and much practised in Holland and Germany. Flews, 

 like those that are used for taking fish in ponds and rivers, 

 are also set up over the surface of the water, and along its 

 banks, into which, ducks entering entangle themselves. 



In India and other Eastern countries a very amusing 

 way of taking ducks is practised by the natives, who cover 

 their heads with a calabash, or pumpkin, and thus wade 

 up to their necks in the water, and carefully mix among 

 the ducks that swim on the surface ; they then quietly 



