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eggs, that numbers of Mallards are to be 
found congregated upon Breydon. 
The number of these birds which at 
present breed in this country are few, when, 
compared with those of former times, and 
as cultivation increase, their numbers 
must still more decrease. It is certain that 
the greater part of those taken in our de- 
coys in winter, come to us from the more 
northern regions. Formerly, according to 
Willughby, the Ducks, while in moult 
and vuiable to fly, were driven by men in 
boats, furnished with long poles, with 
which they splashed the water, between 
long nets, stretched vertically across the 
pools, in the shape of two sides of a trian- 
gle, into lesser nets placed at the point, 
and in this way, he says, four thousand 
were taken at one drawing in Deeping- 
Fen ; and Dr. Latham has quoted an in- 
stance of two thousand six hundred and 
forty six being taken in two days. 
Many and various are the contrivances 
which have been used, in both ancient and 
modern times, to catch these wild, shy, and 
wary birds; and from the avidity with 
