56
THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
allowed to gorge, so as to be indifferent to food when offered. Answering the
signal with a chorus of quacks, they learn to swim steadily through the other fowl,
guessing by the ear which pipe they are to come to ; and, lastly, they are familiar-
ised with the sight of the decoyman, so as to take no alarm when he shows him-
self suddenly between the screens.
All wild-fowl in taking flight from the water rise head to wind—partly, it is
supposed, because of the mass of down and light feathers with which they are
covered being so easily ruffled, if the wind catches them the reverse way ; and
partly from instinct that they thus may more readily scent and detect approach-
ing danger. Whatever the cause, the rule is so invariable, that the decoyman can
make no captures except in those pipes from which the wind blows into the pond ;
and hence the reason of having pipes extending in different directions to suit
every wind. But having to approach the birds from the windward obliges him
to hold before his mouth a piece of lighted turf to keep them from scenting him.
Armed with this turf, accompanied by his dog, and with a basket of food (refuse
corn and grass-seeds) upon his arm he cautiously approaches the proper pipe,
and first satisfying himself that no birds are accidentally already in the pipe, he
makes his way to the end nearest the pond. Then whistling to his tame ducks,
he throws two or three handfuls of food over the screen so that it falls into the
mouth of the pipe, and is partly drifted by the wind into the open water. His
tame ducks hearing the call, swim into the pipe, and begin eagerly to devour the
food. The wild-fowl about the mouth of the pipe tasting a few grains that have
been blown within their reach, and seeing the tame birds securely feeding, are
tempted also to join them under the net ; the decoyman, watching every move-
ment through the peep-holes, goes back a screen or two, and throws another
handful of food into the pipe higher up, and the birds, gradually gaining confi-
dence, follow after it. It is not necessary that they should advance far up the
pipe, as once under the net their fate is sealed ; but the decoyman waits till the
party feeding are detached from the main flock in the pond whose curiosity does
not appear to be aroused, and then running briskly back to the screen nearest the
pond, but where he is still hid from the birds in the open water, suddenly shows
himself behind those in the pipe, and waving his hat frightens them into flight.
Misled by the bend, which seems to promise an escape, they fly headlong up the
pipe, some of them striking the top of the net in their course and falling back
into the water, but immediately rising again, till all scramble and flutter into the
tunnel-net, where the decoyman who has been following them with gestures—
he dare not make a noise—detaches the net and secures the whole flock. At one
time, after the birds had been enticed into the pipe a net used to be let fall, in
the manner of a portcullis, to cut off their retreat; but experience soon proved
that no bird but a very old stager, who by his frequent visits had learnt the
secrets of the pond, would break the custom of rising head to wind—i.e., in the
direction of the tunnel net—and that it required nothing but the presence of the
decoyman to frighten them into the fatal trap. The tame birds do not rise, but
taking no notice either of the decoyman or the sudden disappearance of their
companions, swim leisurely back to the remainder in the pond. The captured
birds are too frightened to make a noise, and the other wild-fowl seeing none
return, conclude that they have left the pond in a natural manner, and swim and
play about as before. The whole operation, from the time the decoyman signals
his tame ducks till he gives the detaching twist to the tunnel net, hardly occu-
pies three minutes. Finally, he takes the birds out of the net. and in a skilful
and expeditious manner puts them to death by dislocating the neck.
Hitherto the dog has taken no share in the proceedings, but has sat
quietly watching his master, understanding every movement, and well satisfied
to wait till his services are required. The decoyman, replacing the tunnel net,
now returns to the pipe, and, knowing that he has caught all the birds who
for the present are likely to be tempted by food, gives a signal to his dog,
throwing at the same time a small piece of bread or cheese at the foot of the
opening between the screens nearest the pond. The dog picks it up in his
mouth, and jumping over the screen, suddenly displays himself to the astonished
wild-fowl, who give a flutter of surprise, but are not sufficiently alarmed to attempt
to fly away. While they are speculating what intruder has had the boldness to