HISTORY OF DECOYS. | |
| This trap, which does duty for a tunnel net, consists of a wooden box some 10ft in length, which I here give a sketch of, and by means of which the birds caught are kept alive, if (as is often the case) they are so required by the dealers. At A, the furthest end of the trap from the pipe, is a fixed railing which the birds can see between on entering the trap, and which they endeavour to reach under the idea they can push through it and so escape. At B (Figs.I., I I., I I I.) there is also a railing, but it is made in the form of a swing door that opens inwards only, and which, when a catch is about to be made, is lightly propped open. On reaching the door, and seeing through the trap, the hurrying frightened birds press into the latter; once inside they cannot escape, for the door is pulled back again into a vertical position by means of a string, and no pushing will open it from inside. C, C, are the small shutters which are removed by the Decoyman when taking out the captured birds. D, D, is a partition of open framework, and which enables the Decoyman to separate his captives, or have one-half of the trap clear of birds for another catch. E, E, the end of the Decoy pipe. F, F, small pegs for safely securing the swing door at night when birds are caught. Fg. III . shows the long cord which the Decoyman uses to pull down tight the door as soon as he sees fowl are entrapped, and one end of which he holds in his hand. The Dutch Decoymen, who, I may add, do a very large trade in live birds with England and the Continent, are by this means enabled to take the fowl alive with the least possible trouble, and risk of damaging them. The shutters for taking the birds out as required are a necessity, for it is the custom of the Decoymen to pretty well fill the extreme end of the trap with birds, the result perhaps of several drives on consecutive days, before taking his unfortunate captives out to send them away. | |
Index List of Illustrations