DECOYS AND WILD-FOWLING IN ESSEX. 69
An Acct. of the Charge of makeing the Duckoy Pond uppon
Canney Marsh larger, by me John Gooch, 1721.
"The decoy was completed and ready for use by September, 1714; and on
the 3rd of that month the result of the first day's take by ' Jos. Woodward,
Duckoyman ' is set down as Duck 8, Teal 4, and ' Wiggin ' 54—in all 66 birds.
The decoy season for the first year lasted from September to January inclusive
during which period there were captured 675 Ducks, 347 Teal, 46 ' Pyntail,' and
6296 'Wiggin '; in all 7364 birds, in the following proportions :—
" Then follows the entry, ' Sold to Mr. Neptune this year's whild-fowll at
9s. 6d. per doz. £150.' * * * Had the owner sold all the birds taken at 9s. 6d.
per dozen, he might have paid the cost of constructing the decoy out of the first
year's proceeds and had a balance in hand of £115. This shows what a profit-
able source of income in those days a decoy was when properly managed."
" In glancing at the table last given, several points of interest are suggested. In
the first place it appears that by far the larger number of fowl taken in Essex at
that date were Wigeon. In the next place it seems that the greater body of these
birds arrived in autumn, before the cold weather had set in, and that after Novem-
ber comparatively few were taken. The Ducks and Teal, on the other hand, did
not appear in force till mid-winter, while ' Pyntails ' were always scarce and irregu-
lar in their appearance. These conclusions are not based merely on the returns
of the first year, 1714, but are borne out by the returns of subsequent years. In
1716, the price paid for wild-fowl thus captured rose to 10s. and in the following
year to, 10s. 6d, per dozen, the purchaser being ' Jno. Deal.' In 1718, 'Joseph