DUCK-DECOYS. 
381 
of keeping a piece of turf burning to prevent tbeir scenting 
him. 
Along each pipe at certain intervals are placed the reed 
screens which hide the decoy-man until the moment when it 
is necessary for him to show himself, namely, when the birds 
have passed up the pipe to which they are led by the trained 
birds, who know the whistle of the decoy-man, or are enticed 
by the hempseed. A dog which is generally preferred of a 
reddish colour, is also trained to play backwards and forwards 
between the screens ; and by suddenly appearing and running 
round a screen, the birds are attracted towards him. When 
a sufficient number of Ducks have thus fairly passed up the 
pipe, the decoy-man comes forward from behind the screens, 
upon which the whole flock, unable to fly upwards on account 
of the hoop-net above, rush onwards to & funnel-net which 
opens on the land, where they are caught without difficulty ; 
the trained birds are of course immediately turned loose again. 
If w^ell managed, a good decoy has been known to produce 
several hundred pounds a year. 
Many birds manifest almost reasoning powers in eluding 
pursuit, or turning attention from their nests and young ; 
but few perhaps more than the Duck tribe, of which the 
following may be adduced as an instance, from Captain 
Back’s Narrative of his Arctic Land Expedition, p. 249. 
One of his companions, Mr. King, having killed a female 
Duck, fired again, and, as he thought, disabled its com- 
panion, a fine Drake. Accordingly, leaving the dead bird, 
which he had the mortification of seeing, in a few minutes 
afterwards, carried off by one of the white-headed Eagles, he 
waded into the water after the Drake, which, far from being 
fluttered or alarmed, remained motionless, as if waiting to be 
taken up. Still, as he neared it, it glided easily away through 
innumerable little nooks and windings. Several times he 
extended his arm to catch it ; and having at last, with great 
patience, managed to coop it up in a corner, from whence there 
appeared to be no escape, he was triumphantly bending down 
to take it, when, to his utter astonishment, after two or 
three flounders, it looked around, cried “ quack,” and then 
