DECOYS AND WILD-FOWLING IN ESSEX. 55
tember. Widgeon make their appearance at the end of September ; but it is not
till severe weather sets in that the wild-fowl arrive in any numbers. The decoy
season is from October to Ma ch, when most of these birds take their departure
for the north again. Wild Duck were formerly abundant in Essex, but are
becoming scarcer and scarcer every year, as the marshes get more and more
drained, and a higher system of cultivation is brought into use on the adjacent
farms. Widgeon apparently are as plentiful as ever, finding a favourite and
abundant food on the Maplin and other sands off this coast.
Duck and their congeners invariably spend the night away from where they
have passed the day. The Wild Duck and Teal feed at night, but the Widgeon
chiefly during the day, though also at night. The birds that come to the decoy
pond arrive about daybreak, and, if not frightened, or disturbed by an approach-
ing storm, remain there quietly till sunset, when, rising in parties in quick suc-
cession, they all leave the pond, and fly out to sea, or to marshes and ditches further
inland. Those that go to the mud on the seashore will often return to the pond
during the night when disturbed by the rising tide, but remain only till the ebb
uncovers the mud again. The tide in the daytime does not affect the birds, few
wild-fowl either entering or leaving the pond during daylight. But the pond
is found generally to be fullest, and the birds more settled, when high water occurs
between six and eight o'clock. With certain winds larger numbers may be ex-
pected than at other times ; but the quantity in the pond one day is no criterion
of what may be there the next. A large increase, or the contrary, usually denotes
that a change of weather is about to take place. After the first severe weather
has brought the wild-fowl off the coast, the decoyman wishes for but little frost,
on account of the difficulty in keeping his pond open. When the water does
get frozen, he uses his best endeavours, with the assistance of several labourers,
to keep some of the pipes clear of ice during the night—the only time when
such an operation is possible, or when any repairs to the pipe can be performed.
Very often in this manner large catches are made at the beginning of a frost, the
wild-fowl being glad to find an open space of water when other places are
frozen up, and their food not procurable ; but when a hard frost has regularly set
in, little can be done in the decoy, the birds knowing that, in addition to other
dangers, foxes can get at them on the ice—an advantage which Reynard always is
ready to make the most of.
The first birds that arrive in the pond, attracted by seeing the tame ones swim-
ming in it as they fly overhead, are generally young and hungry and could be
easily caught, feeding up the pipe with avidity ; but these are usually spared to
take back to their companions the news of such good quarters, and to tempt others
to return with them next day. The " lead," as it is called, gradually increases
in this way, till at last several hundred birds have found their way to the pond.
Occasionally as many as 2,000 wild-fowl of different kinds are seen at one time in
the pond ; but the number usually varies from 100 to 1,000, of which by far the
greater proportion are Widgeon. The most favourable weather for catching is a
dull cloudy day, with a moderate wind blowing, the decoyman then being able to
work without casting a shadow, and the noise of the waving rushes preventing his
footsteps from being heard. In making his captures his only assistants are his
dog and the tame ducks.
His dog, denominated " the piper, ' is a small sandy-red terrier, of no particular
breed, with a mind equally indifferent to game and to vermin. He has to be
carefully trained in the summer-time to go in and out of the pipes, jumping over
the small screen, at the opening which his master indicates by throwing a small
piece of bread or cheese to the spot, and running along the bank, coming out
again at the next opening higher up the pipe. He has to learn silence on all oc-
casions, and must not even bark at the approach of a stranger ; and, above all, he
must never attempt to seize, or in fact to notice, the wild-fowl. The decoy ducks
also have to undergo a training. Of the common small tame breed, resembling in
colour the Wild Duck, they are taken in the summer to the pond and taught to
come at the whistle of their master, whom they do not see, to the opening of the
pipe, where he is waiting to reward them with food. They are fed regularly, and
always at the mouths of the different pipes, so that they may not be over hungry
at any time, and show too great eagerness to answer the whistle ; neither are they