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fifty years. The decoys in the Fritton Lake, not far distant, have 
been constructed very many years, and probably that at Flixton is 
of an equally ancient date. 
Proceeding north we come to Mautby, where a decoy formerly 
existed, which, as might be expected from its situation, was highly 
productive. When it was given up, is not known exactly ; but 
Mr. Fellowes, of Shotesham, kindly lent me a letter from George 
Skelton,* dated Winterton, March, 1833, offering to hire it. From 
# The members of the family of Skelton were formerly as celebrated for 
their skill in constructing and working decoys, as were the Barrs and Pells 
for falconry. Mr. Lubbock has left on record the astonishment of the 
Norfolk decoymen at the mode of proceeding adopted by George Skelton, 
when he made the Winterton decoy ; and I have very little doubt, most of 
the decoys of this county were either constructed or re-modelled by members 
of this family (many of them certainly were) and that they were the 
introducers, if not the inventors, of very great improvements in this method 
of taking fowl. Of their great skill in the practice, there can be no doubt. 
I must refer the reader to the appendix to the second edition of Lubbock’s 
Fauna of Norfolk , where, at page 221, will be found some account of 
George Skelton’s improvements, and his reasons for adopting them. Old 
George Skelton came originally from Friskney in Lincolnshire, in what year 
I have not been able to learn, but probably about the beginning of the 
present century. He set up and worked the Winterton decoy : but on the 
30th of March, 1S33, he applied by letter to Mr. Robert Fellowes, offering 
to hire the Mautby decoy ; Mr. Fellowes, however, declined to let it, and 
he remained at Winterton till his death, which occurred on the 4th January, 
1840, in his 80th year ; he is buried in Winterton church-yard. George 
Skelton was accompanied, or shortly followed into Norfolk, by his four sons ; 
George, William, Richard, and Henry. 
In 180G, George, the younger, with his brothers William and Richard, 
erected the Methwold decoy, which they worked for fifteen years ; he then 
appears to have removed to Dersingham, where, about sixty years ago, he 
set up a decoy ; this he worked till his death, which occurred in the year 
1857. In the meantime, however, he had worked the Wormegay decoy for 
a short time, and constructed others at Narford and South Acre ; also others 
in Herefordshire for Lord Bateman, and in Yorkshire for the Duke of Leeds. 
In remodelling the Wretham decoy he caught a severe cold, from which lie 
never recovered, but died at Dersingbam on the 14th February, 1857, at the 
age of sixty -seven years. George Skelton is described as a “very peculiar 
man,” short of stature, very strongly built, particularly kind in disposition, 
perfectly indifferent to cold and hardship, well informed, and unequalled in 
skill in the construction and management of decoys. With all these 
advantages, lie might have died in comfort and affluence ; but, unfortunately, 
late in life he gave way to a passion for drink, which greatly impoverished 
