Ornithological and Other Oddities 



or two. Anions the other water-fowl I had on 

 this pond, it selected a coot as its friend, though 

 this bird did not appear to reciprocate the feeling. 

 As the dabchick had introduced itself by swim- 

 ming up and pecking the coot behind, this is, 

 perhaps, hardly to be wondered at ; but this piece 

 of impudence was not repeated, though the ducks 

 were often attacked below water, especially any 

 new ones I put on. After a time, however, even 

 they were unmolested, as the dabchick grew older 

 and less given to juvenile mischief. In the spring 

 after I got this bird, I procured an adult one as a 

 companion, and as, after a month's absence, I found 

 I could not distinguish them, I do not know what 

 was my little favourite's subsequent career. One 

 of the two soon disappeared, but the other re- 

 mained on this pond for at least a year ; and I 

 have little doubt that he at all events came back 

 at last, and was one of the pair whose doings I 

 have chronicled above, for I never saw any other 

 dabchicks appear there spontaneously. 



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