Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/188

There were at one time several decoys^[1] in use on the various Broads, but these have of late years fallen into disuse, and are now not worked, with the exception of Sir Savile Crossley's on Fritton Lake. Mr. J.H. Gurney has kindly furnished me with the following extract from the many years' returns for this decoy in his possession:—

Take of Wildfowl at Fritton Decoy.
	Duck.	Teal.	Wigeon.	Shoveler.
October,⁠1887	41	17	0	0
November,⁠,,⁠	198	14	0	0
December,⁠,,	176	2	0	1
January, 1888	121	2	2	0
February,⁠,,	133	0	0	0
March,⁠,,	6	1	5	0
	————	————	————	————
	675	66	7	1

I have an entry from the 'Yarmouth Independent,' of a contemporary date, stating that on Dec. 13th, 1879, the decoymen at Fritton secured no fewer than 190 wildfowl at one pull of the net!

The following agreement for the hiring of a decoy, the very site of which appears now to have become lost, will serve to show how remunerative at one time these engines of destruction must have been: —

"Memorandum of an Agreement made this 17th day of March, 1810, between Mrs. Hannah Forder, of Kollesby, Norfolk, and her son Thomas Forder, have agreed with his mother for the use of a decoy now in her possession, from Lady-day next following it, at the Annual Rent £44 per year, and the said Thomas Forder shall at his own expense keep the same in tenantable repair; the rent to be paid half-yearly.

"And a further agreement between Thomas and his mother Hannah Forder for all fowles and fish he can catch. The said Thomas Forder do agree to deliver the same fowl at eighteen pence per couple, and half-fowl at half-price, and from August to Michaelmas at two shillings per couple, and half-fowl at half-price, and from Michaelmas to Lady-day at three shillings per couple, and half-fowl at half-price.

1. For most interesting and graphic accounts of decoys and the methods of working them, see Stevenson's 'Birds of Norfolk,' and Lubbock's 'Observations on the Fauna of Norfolk,' new edit.