Oafs II. MALLARD. 465 



It often happens, however, that the wild fowl are 

 in fuch a (late of fleepinefs and dozing, that they 

 will not follow the decoy-ducks. Ufe is then gene- 

 rally made of a dog, who is taught his leffon : he 

 paffes backwards and forwards between the reed 

 skreens (in which are little holes, both for the decoy- 

 man to fee, and for the little dog to pais through) 

 this attracts the eye of the wild fowl, who not chufing 

 to be interrupted., advance towards this fmall and 

 contemptible animal, that they may drive him away. 

 The dog, all this time, by direction of the decoy- 

 man, plays among the skreens of reeds, nearer and 

 nearer to the purfe net ; till at laft, perhaps, the 

 decoy- man appears behind a skreen, and the wild 

 fowl not daring to pafs by him in return, nor being 

 able to efcape upwards on account of the net-covering, 

 rum on into the purfe-net. Sometimes the dog will 

 not attract; their attention, if a red handkerchief, or 

 fomething very lingular, is not put about him. 



The general feafon for catching fowl in drcoys, is 

 from the latter end of October till February ; the taking 

 of them earlier is prohibited by an act 10 George 11. 

 c. 32. which forbids it from June 1, to Oclober 1, 

 under the penalty of five Ihillings for each bird 

 deftroyed within that fpace. 



The Line oh/loir e decoys are commoly fet at a cer- 

 tain annual rent, from five pounds to twenty pounds 

 a, year : and we have heard of one in Somerfetjhire 

 that pays thirty. The former, contribute principally 

 to fupply the markets of London. Amazing num- 

 bers of ducks, wigeons, and teal are taken : by an 

 account fent us of the number caught the winter be- 



G g 4 fore 



