214 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
next year he gave 12s. per dozen to Michaelmas and 14s. per
dozen from that date until the end of the season. In 1723
appears the entry "Sold to Mr. Wm. Foster this years wildfowll
att sixteen shillings per dozn." The same purchaser took all
he could get the following year at the same price and for 1725
and 1726 Messrs. Darnoll and Basset were the purchasers, again
at 16s. per dozen. The MS. is said to end with the close of the
latter season and one is left in ignorance of the fate of the decoy.
Harting goes on to say that judging by the following summary,
which is copied from the last page of the MSS (all in the same
handwriting) it may be that the use of the decoy was discontinued
on account of the gradual reduction in the numbers taken in the
last three years, for which the money obtained dwindled from £81
to £69 and eventually to £33 only. Harting states that there
was nothing to indicate what was the cause of this decrease,
and he gives the summary referred to as follows :—
An Account of Wildfowll Ketcht att Steeple Duckoy.