After this, the fowler thought it advisable to take no more that day, stating that the remainder would be sure to come again the next day, and probably with numerous followers. He therefore scattered the grain very freely at the mouth of the windward pipes, and whistled the decoyducks to partake of it. Afterwards, on looking through the bull's eye at the watch-house, we observed, to the fowler's satisfaction, that the remainder of the wild-ducks were busily feeding upon it in company with the tame ones.

At about five o'clock in the afternoon there was such an incessant quacking and flapping of wings, that I inquired of the decoy-man what it meant.

"Oh, sir, that's the ducks a-talking about the marshes, and fixing their place of meeting for the night," said the fowler. "It generally takes them about twenty minutes to decide on the meadows they intend going to; during which conversation they seem to jangle and bully each other like an Irish mob."

I felt very much amused at the old fowler's remarks, but more so at the movements and actions of the ducks, which left the pond in little trips of ten and twenty pair at a time, until within the time stated by the fowler (twenty minutes) they were all gone, and the tame ducks left to themselves.

As soon as it was known that the wild-fowl had left, the decoy-cart came round to the pipes, and the fowl were counted in pairs, and deposited in large hampers, ready to be sent off immediately to market. The whole number captured amounted to 107 pair! or 214 ducks, not one of which was bruised or spoiled; but the whole had been killed so dexterously by the neck-wringers that no feathers were ruffled except at the small part of the neck, and no other bruises could be discovered about them.

Thus I have endeavoured to relate what I saw and did at a Lincoln

shire decoy many years ago. Some of my readers may think me tedious; but I will only add, that if they read what I have here written with one-fiftieth part of the pleasure and delight I felt in witnessing these curious proceedings, my utmost wishes will be fulfilled; and Ï· feel sure they will be as anxious as I was to see more of so singular and interesting an art.

out.

THE GAFFER'S GREY.

ENGRAVED BY E, HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY E. CORBET.

We recognize in the Gaffer's Grey that useful creature, the farmer's maid-of-all-work, and we should say by appearances it was her Sunday On what other day should we have a chance of finding her idle? If the Gaffer is not riding her round the farm, or driving her to market in the light-cart, she is at bush harrow in the long meadow, in the

hay-making machine, or gone to the mill with a sample-sack of the wheat close. Or Ben, another jack-of-all-trades, has taken her to the Post-office, or to Farrier Bolus', to get a drench for the Shorthorn who is in high state of preparation, and inflammation, for the approaching Smithfield Show. If she is not thus employed, then Gaffer Giles, that jolly, sparkling-eyed, round-faced, hospitable, thirteen-stone individual, who appears to be on equal terms with everybody, has taken her to the County Assizes, where you may see him laughing and chatting one minute with the High Sheriff, and the next on the best of terms with his grooms. Or the foxhounds are at Furze Gorse, where you have the Gaffer again joking away with the master; then alongside Hikes the huntsman, pointing out where the leary one was seen the day before; or with one of the whips; then chaffing Lord Oily Gammon-his M.P., as the Gaffer calls him, having given him his vote-about the promises and vows he made from that celebrated speech his Lordship had in his hat, on the hustings. Or they are at a ploughing match, a fair, or cricket match : or the Gaffer has been appointed judge at some local coursing meeting, where you will see him, hail fellow well met, with Captain Gazer the owner, or Jim Slips the trainer of the long tails. Or, whom do you find riding up the avenue on the grey, as if the place belonged to him, with his gun over his shoulder, on some great day at the Earl of Battue's, and at one time conversing with my Lord in a far more easy way than the neighbouring gentry, and then entering into a long discussion with Lookout on the favourableness of the season for birds, or talking to the Countess as if she was nothing but flesh and blood like himself. And if he does her the honour to stop dinner, as likely as not insists on her ladyship's taking wine with him at least half-a-dozen times, and the like, after the cloth has been removed? Who can it be but Gaffer Giles?

The county races the Gaffer and his Grey have not missed for the last thirteen years, although in that time she has been the dam of the winner of the Hunters' Stakes when he put her to the great Earl of Childer's Regulus. With the Earl and Mr. Drawemfine he is on the same easy terms, and you would almost fancy he had a leg of the Derby colt, by the interest he appears to take in him, on the cold mornings we have seen him on the Grey with Drawemfine in Childers Park. Then as youngsters, on getting to the Round Hills, or "The Black Pig" in a hoar or white frost half an hour before time, and almost beginning to think the groom really spoke the truth, when he told us, on leaving home, there would be no hunting, as the ground was as hard as nails, with what delight have we hailed the Gaffer and his Grey coming round the corner just as the sun broke out-by the side of old Squire Currant Jelly, in the middle of his merry little pack, with that incorrigible whip Job brushing up the stragglers!-Job, who has had the Squire's blessings and his discharge, on an average, at least twelve times in the day for sixteen years past. And, after it is over, who for a near cut home knew all the weak points in the fences, every bridle-way, ford, or line of gates within a circuit of twelve miles of the Valley Farm, better than the Gaffer and his Grey? It being Sunday, and having a thin pair of boots on, you must excuse our walking round the yard, but you will find the Shorthorns in a shed at the back, and the bull in an adjoining one, so

look out that he don't pin you against the wall. If hungry the

Gaffer will be returning from church in a quarter of an hour, and we will warrant you have an Old England welcome to the roast beef and plumpudding.

We cannot recommend a better stamp as a useful maid-of-all-work, and would strongly advise anybody with a farm to look out for one with the shape and make of the Gaffer's Grey.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS OF THE METROPOLIS.

"I belong to the unpopular family of Telltruths, and would not flatter Apollo for his lyre."-Rob Roy.

With but few exceptious, the source from which the modern stage continues to be supplied is decidedly Gallic. Not only are plays, dramas, and farces translated from the French, and produced on the London boards with an alacrity that is fast approaching the alarming, but a recent instance has occurred of a burlesque being transplanted from foreign soil. Surely, after this, surprise can hardly be felt at any dramatic petty larceny. It only just remains for a pantomime or two to be borrowed from our continental neighbours, and then the delugenot of translations. It is but fair to native industry to give precedence to the exceptions to this wholesale dictionary-scissors-and-paste work. Accordingly, the first work demanding attention is a posthumous one of the late Mr. Kenney, whose "Raising the Wind," "Sweethearts and Wives," and other stock pieces, were of themselves sufficient to stamp the fame of any dramatic author. The renown gained by such productions, it is to be regretted, cannot in any way be increased by that recently brought out. The comedy of "London Pride; or, Living for Appearances," now in course of performance at the ST. JAMES'S THEATRE, is anything but a reflection of the times we live in. It has all the conventional characters of the comedies in vogue at the time this was written -a period of about twenty years-with allusions that may now-a-days be considered out of date. It also labours under other disadvantages. Although styled a comedy, the business really smacks more of a serious than comic nature; and this is made the more palpable from the chief actors being generally associated with anything but grave scenes. This is particularly observable in Mrs. Frank Mathews, who, in the most sentimental passages, produces the very opposite effect to that evidently intended. Again, altogether unsuitable as the character of Mr. Harrington is for Mr. Leigh Murray, he played the part with a nice discrimination, which is not to be met with in the present representative, Mr. Greatrix, whose glaring inefficiency is of itself sufficient to imperil the piece. Miss Murray as an Abigail gives all the point and finish that such a part needs. Although the character is but a negative one, that of Mr. Anson brings out a new actor in Mr. Spencer, who gives promise of becoming of use on the London stage. With the many disadvantages

attaching to this production it is impossible to predict any lengthened existence for it.

Giving Mr. Watts Phillips the benefit of the doubt, his "Dead Heart" shall not be classed with the foreign batch. At the same time there is no denying there is a very Frenchified tone about it. Beyond this there is no question of its being the author's best drama. Not only does it surpass those which have preceded it from the same pen in form of construction, but it also excels in point of incident. The interest excited by the story is well played up to and sustained by the actors— Mr. Webster, Mr. David Fisher, and Mrs. Mellon being the most prominent in their several delineations. Added to this, the play is exceedingly well put upon the stage. Altogether it may be unequivocally pronounced the greatest and most general success yet won in the NEW ADELPHI.

Two burlesques demand but passing notice. The travestie on "Romeo and Juliet" at the STRAND THEATRE is more indebted for its success to its admirable acting and excellent scenery than to the author, who appears to entertain a very vague idea of anything approaching humour.

So with the fairy burlesque extravaganza of "Swan and Edgar" at the ST. JAMES'S. The dialogue is in no way likely to produce any very lively emotions in the audience. Here again the dramatis persona carry off the honours. The acting and singing of Miss St. Cass, the dancing of Miss Thompson, assisted by a showy corps de danse, make the extravaganza go off with a certain degree of éclat.

French ware has been marketable at several west-end and central houses, such as the HAYMARKET, the PRINCESS's, the ADELPHI, the OLYMPIC, and the STRAND. In fact, to use a City phrase, French wares have been in great demand during the past month, and have generally met with a ready exchange.

At the first house, however, there has been an exception in Mr. Tom Taylor's "Late Lamented," which has gone off in a sense more congenial, to the audience than to the author. Fortunately other provision has been made, which, with the zest imparted by Mr. Charles Mathews, has had the gratifying effect of causing general satisfaction.

Next in succession are "The Master Passion," "Gossip," and "Nursery Chickweed" at the PRINCESS's, not any of which being likely to have any permanent hold of the public, it only remains to be observed that the first is most remarkable for the part played by a particularly efficient corps de ballet; the second, for the acting of Mrs. Charles Young and Mr. J. K. Shore; and the third for its excessive vulgarity.

"The Head of the Family," at the OLYMPIC, is not only a translation from the French, but it turns out to be an old friend with a new face, having been familiar to frequenters of the same theatre some years ago, under the title of "Cousin Cherry." The character of the piece is personated now, as then, by Mrs. Stirling, who certainly does all that is possible to reconcile the audience with the antiquated notions of the managers.

The burlesque which has been taken from the French is to be seen at the ADELPHI, where "Dinorah Under Difficulties" is more suggestive the acts of omission than commission by the adapter. Any one at all ersant with the original cannot fail to be struck with the utter