ESSEX PRE-ORNITHOLOGY. 19
September, this being an average of ten seasons. If we compare
these figures with those taken 172 years previously at Steeple
Decoy we find that many more were taken in September than
in any other month, the figure dropping to less than half in
October, the figures for November, December and January
being relatively insignificant. As the late John Cordeaux pointed
out in 1878 the figures are very curious, for in the earlier part
of the 18th century the best months were September and October,
whereas at the time he wrote the best months for Wigeon on
the East Coast were January and February, and also March,
during the greater part of which the old decoys were closed
altogether. Although no records have been handed down to us
of the actual numbers the Pochard was apparently taken in
huge quantities. Folkard, writing in 1875 of the Essex Pochard
ponds, states "that on one or two occasions within present
"memory the capture of Pochards, or Dunbirds as they are
"called locally, has been so great at one drop or pull of the
"net that a waggon and four horses were required to remove
"them"; and he adds that these birds have been known
to resort in flights so numerous as apparently to cover every
available space of water in the pond, and that 500 to 600 Pochards
at one rise of the net was in those days considered quite a
moderate capture. We read in the Book of Duck Decoys, "Mr.
"Lee has a Decoy at Goldhanger in which he took at one haul
"one waggon load and two cart-loads of Dunbirds; but the
"disturbance made frightened such as escaped so much, that
"he took no more that season."
Mallard and Teal were the only other ducks to be taken in
considerable numbers, although Pintail are also mentioned.
The following species of duck have also been taken, although
there is no information as to their numbers:—Gadwall, Garganey,
Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Goldeneye,
Longtailed Duck, Common Scoter, Redbreasted Merganser and
Smew. In addition the following species have been captured :—
Hooded Crow, Kingfisher, Tawny Owl, Kestrel, Sparrow-Hawk,
Storm-Petrel, Little Grebe, Lapwing, Dunlin, Common Sand-
piper, Common Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank,
Common Snipe, Common Gull, Coot and Common Partridge.
A new source of information now assists us. W. Yarrell
writes that Mr. Joseph Clarke, of Saffron Walden, gave him a