THE DUCK DECOYS OF ESSEX.
215
The totals are not given by Harting, but have been copied
from Christy's Birds of Essex, with the following footnote :—
*"From this it appears that the reckoning was kept in dozens,
birds and 'half-birds,' just as it might be in pounds, shillings and
pence. Thus in the thirteen years in question no less than
50,787 birds were taken, or average of about 3,907 a year. But of
these only 4,714 (the Ducks and Pintails) were "whole birds,"
giving 392 dozen and 10 birds over. The remaining 46,073 birds
(the Teal and Wigeon) were only "half birds," giving 1,919 dozen
and 8 birds and 1 "half-bird" over, or a total of 2,312 dozen, 6
birds and 1 half bird, as shown above, allowing for a slight error
in calculation somewhere. In the Ashby Decoy, South Lincoln-
shire, from 1833-4 to 1867-8 were captured : Wild Duck, 48,664 ;
Teal, 44,568 ; Wigeon, 2,119 ; Shoveller, 285 ; Pintail, 278 ;
Gadwall, 22. Total, 95,936, an average of 2,741 birds per
annum for the thirty-five years (see Field, vol. xxxii., p. 73).
Thomas Pennant records 31,200 Ducks having been sent to
London in one season from ten decoys, near Wainfleet, Lincoln-
shire (British Zoology, vol. ii., p. 595).
The final paragraph of the article points out that nearly all the
Ducks and Teal taken in this decoy were foreigners and not
home-bred birds, for it is remarkable that during the months of
August and September, before the large migrating flocks had
arrived, comparatively few were captured, which would scarcely
have been the case if these birds had nested in any numbers in
the neighbouring marshes.
The old MS. book from which Harting had taken the fore-
going matter had previously passed through the hands of Mr.
John Cordeaux, who had published an article in The Field, vol. li,
p. 419, April 6th, 1878, and as practically all its contents are
additional matter it is quoted here : "In one year (1715) taking
"commenced as early as August 25th, and from this time to
"the end of the month 8 Duck, 96 Teal, 1 Pintail, and 544
"Wigeon were taken. 1716 appears also to have been an early
"season for Wigeon, the decoy commencing work on August 24th
"and before the end of the month 7 Duck, 9 Teal, 5 Pintail, and
"538 Wigeon were captured. The best year of the thirteen was
"1714. The best months were Sept., 1714—39 Duck, 81 Teal
"9 Pintail, 3,907 Wigeon. Also September, 1717—12 Duck,
"8 Teal, 1 Pintail, and 3,440 Wigeon.
"Some of the best days were as follows :—September 20th,
"1714—1 Duck, 20 Teal, 785 Wigeon ; September 23rd, 1715—
"7 Teal, 1 Pintail, 478 Wigeon ; October 7th, 1715—6 Teal,
"4 Pintail, 512 Wigeon ; October 14th—2 Teal, 1 Duck, 490
"Wigeon ; October 18th—1 Teal, 1 Duck, 1 Pintail, 537 Wigeon ;