THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. | |
| The Decoys of Föhr, as well as those on the neighbouring islands next alluded to, are surrounded for many miles by vast ooze banks which support and attract myriads of Duck, Teal, and Wigeon. The Decoys are kept very quiet, and shooting afloat is by law very strictly forbidden on this coast in the interests of the numerous Decoys. Amrum. Another North Frisian Island that possesses a large Decoy, one in which 1,500 duck, chiefly Pintail, were a few years since taken in a single day. Sylt. Belonging to the same group of islands has two Decoys. FanØ, also possessing one. In connection with the Decoys and wildfowl of Holland I append the following very interesting notes kindly supplied to me by Mr. Cavendish Taylor. This gentleman, an enthusiastic naturalist and sportsman, has travelled in Holland considerably, and tells me that the information given below may be fully relied on, as it was carefully collected and analized at the time it was compiled, a few years ago. Mr. Taylor says, "Mr. Van Heckn is one of the largest exporters of Dutch produce in Holland. He owns Decoys himself and contracts with the owners of 70 others to take all their birds at a fixed price. These he sends principally to London and Paris. His residence is in Dordrecht where the birds are sent to him from the Decoys. There he packs them in osier baskets, and, if destined for England, ships them from Rotterdam. He gets birds from many Decoys in Friesland. These latter are not sent to Dordrecht, but are shipped from Harlingen. The contract price with the Decoy owners is about 1s. 4d. apiece for Ducks. But wildfowl are valued according to the following scale, viz.:- | |
| 2 Wigeon . . . . . . . 1 Duck 2 Shovellers . . . . . . . " 3 Teal . . . . . . . " 1 Pintail and 1 Teal . . . . . . " | |
| Gadwall are not numerous and not of much account. Teal are always plentiful and in demand. | |
Index List of Illustrations