THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. |
| They know nothing, of course, about the Decoyman hidden from their view behind the screens, who is really beckoning the dog up the side of the pipe and from the ducks. Should the dog turn about and face them with a whine, or even look over his shoulder, off they all splash in a flutter, till he once more retires before them, when they follow him as before, and are thus gradually enticed on to their fate. The natural instinct against a fox is very strong in all birds, but especially so in regard to ducks; for is he not always ready to pounce upon them unawares when enjoying a siesta, or even when sitting on their eggs? Should a fox sneak along the banks of a Decoy, every duck is on the alert at once. They rush after him. I have seen them. They take good care, however, to keep at a safe distance; and as with a dog, should he turn towards them, they tumble over one another in anxious flight. I consider the ducks believe a dog to be in some sort a fox, or nearly related. A fox-coloured dog, with a good brush, is always a successful Decoy dog, if he otherwise does his work well. Ducks therefore follow dogs and foxes from curiosity, from hatred, as well as from braggadocio, and also because when he retires from them they imagine that for once in a way they are driving off a cruel oppressor-a natural enemy. They flatter themselves that their bold looks and assembled numbers bring about this satisfactory result. I know a curious instance of this; it is as follows:- A friend of mine who owns a Decoy observed one day a fine fox sitting upon the ice, during a hard frost, in the centre of his Decoy Pond. The wild ducks literally crowded round him in a ring, just as if he were haranguing them, or were a politician at an electoral meeting. When the inquisitive ducks edged up, as Reynard judged, within his reach, he would slowly gather his hind quarters together and then suddenly spring at them. But owing to the slippery ice his foothold failed, and a ludicrous somersault was the result of his efforts. The ducks rushed off in dire alarm, half scrambling, half flying, only to face about and gradually draw with inquiring looks and low interrogative "quacks " towards the fox again, as he once more recovered his composure and sat up on his haunches as before. |
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