THE POULTRY BOOK. 
303 
It does not do to fasten these lines to the hank, or the birds still at liberty become 
so alarmed at the struggles of those that are hooked, that they will leave the spot, 
and be shy for long periods afterwards, and it is not a solitary capture or two that 
is intended. Previously, to baiting the hooks, a few strong stakes should be driven 
into the bottom of the shallow part of the ford, the tops being about a foot or so 
below the surface. The lines should be long enough to give a little freedom to the 
bird when gulping the bait, and the end opposite the hook is to be attached to a 
weight, such as a piece of brick, which is placed on the top of the stake, and the 
instant the bird is hooked, and consequently gives the slightest pull, the weight, 
being suddenly upset, drags the unfortunate captive under water, to be seen no 
more, until removed by the party who placed the temptation before it. 
‘‘On a long rail supported at the ends by two uprights, I have known a dozen 
such weights placed, and seven wild ducks caught during one night only. 
The second plan is singularly effective, and even less troublesome than the 
former one to put into operation, as a boat is not required. 
“ In this case traps, similar to rat-traps, are the means employed; the shallows 
should be previously supplied with not only a few ears of corn left swimming about 
on the surface, but some dozen heads or so should be attached to stones by pieces 
of string, so as to lie pretty close to the bottom, andj they should be dropped 
in at intervals. After the interval of a few days, the traps, each baited with a 
single ear of corn only, firmly tied to the trigger, may be gently lowered to 
the bottom of the water, which for this purpose ought to average from fifteen to 
eighteen inches deep, and as these birds feed chiefly at nightfall and early dawn, 
the preparations for catching them are best completed by midday, and the traps left 
to take their own chance until the following morning. The ducks are generally 
caught midway along the head, are always quite dead, and mostly are altogether 
hidden from view by the water. 
“From the peculiar character of their plumage, although apparently much 
wetted on their first removal, if hung up half an hour in the free air, they 
quickly dry, as the moisture is quite superficial. 
“Among the advantages of these plans, the obvious ones are the following: — 
They both act without any noise whatever, nor does anything seen by the 
uncaught birds lead them to suspect danger. The entrapped ones seem merely to 
dive, the remainder still feed closely to them, and as unconcernedly as hereto- 
fore ; and, moreover, the birds thus caught will keep good a very long time, having 
sustained no bruises whatever.” 
Having given at length the history of the wild original of our domesticated breeds, 
it is now necessary to speak of the different varieties in detail. Of these, the most 
important are so-called Eouen or Roan duck, the White Aylesbury, the Call or 
Decoy duck, the Labrador, Buenos Ayres or East India duck, the Cayuga duck, 
the Penguin duck, the tufted or crested duck, and the hooked-bill duck. 
