INDIAN DUCKS AND THE IB ALLIES. 241 



two and attracting the curiosity whicli is a strong trait in all 

 chicks. 



In Goldsmith's '''Natural History," a httle volnma dated 1830, it is 

 said that : " In only ten decoys in the neighboui-hood of Wainfleet, so 

 many as thirty-one thousand two hundred have teen cauglit in a season." 

 This, of course, refers to all kinds of ducks, not to Wigeons only. 



To eat, the Wigeon is sometimes first rate, sometimes decidedly fishy 

 and rank. At home it is considered quite one of the higher class of 

 ducks for eating, but out in India it is often not of a higher class ; 

 Hume says of some he got on the sea coast that they had such a distinct 

 " odour of brine from the ocean " about them that they were quite 

 unpalatable. Those shot in Cachar I have always found very good 

 indeed. 



The Wigeon breeds throughout the greater part of its Northern 

 hiibitat, but probal>ly nowhere within the Arctic Circle. It is common 

 in Iceland and still more so in Lapland, breeds throughout Northern 

 Europe and also, I am told, in East Prussia, and it also breeds in North- 

 A\'est Asia, less commonly to the East. In Great Britain it has often 

 been found breeding in Scotland and also in Ireland, and just lately 

 Mr. W. J. Clarke recorded the finding of a AVigeon's nest in Yorkshire, 

 this being the first record of its breeding within the limits of England 

 itself. 



Its nest may be placed either close to water, in amongst the growth 

 on the banks or shores, or it is sometimes placed a good distance from 

 it. In Scotland it is frequently found well hidden in amongst heather 

 well away from the nearest water. As a rule, it is very well hidden, 

 but at other times is very conspicuous and can be seen from a few 

 yards away. The duck sits very close indeed, and flying up at one's 

 feet usually shows the whereabouts of the nest, however uell it may be 

 hidden. The drake would seem to take little interest in the nest or 

 eggs, and leaves the duck not only to do all the incubation, but also 

 to look after the young until they are some days old. 



The nest would appear to differ from other ducks' nests in beino- 

 better put together in most cases. In some nests the materials, moss, 

 leaves, grasses, and weeds are well intermingled and interwoven with 

 one another and with down, which not only forms the lining but is 

 also incorporated in the body of the nest itself. Frequently on the 



