^VILD DUCK, 
225 
The numbers of this bird are largely augmented in 
winter, particularly in severe seasons. 
Gilbert White's historical reference to the occurrence of 
this bird at Wolmer Pond has already been quoted under 
Widgeon. 
In former days it was most commonly taken in decoys, 
but none are now in use in the county. Sir R. Payne- 
Gallwey's well-known " Book of Duck Decoys " mentions 
three in Hampshire, situated at North Stoneham, at Bourne- 
mouth, and on the Beaulieu River. 
The first of these was constructed about eighty years 
before he wrote, and remained in use until about the year 
1 874. This is no doubt the pond visited by Miss Charlotte 
Yonge "many years ago," and described among the memories 
of an "Old Woman's Outlook": "Very cautiously and 
silently (she says) we were allowed to peep between the 
screens, where the birds were to be seen swimming, and 
now and then alighting on what was to be their Styx, and 
it was black enough ! ... Of course, we might not 
show ourselves, and could only be allowed to admire the 
dead : the mallard, with his glossy green head . . . the 
pretty little teal . . . and the widgeon, with rust- 
coloured head and breast." 
A second used to exist at Bournemouth about the year 
1826, before the present town was built, and its site is still 
known as the " Coy Pond." 
A third was in the New Forest, on the head waters of 
the Beaulieu River, near Ipley Farm, but this one is now 
devoid of water ; it was marked on a map of 1789 as " the 
old Decoy Pond," and the situation is still known as the 
Decoy Pond Farm. 
Many other pools in the county are still known as 
" Decoys " or " Decoy Ponds," but these were probably 
