173 



I have bred them for fourteen years, some of my stock having 

 come from the Isle of Man, and some from a very old cottager in Anglesea 

 who had bred them for fifty years. I try to keep mine to the true Rouen 

 type with the crests of moderate size only, because I find it almost impos- 

 sible to rear those with large crests. The latter appendage grows from 

 a bony process* on the skull, and when the latter is large it appears to press 

 on the brain, causing vertigo. This disadvantage apart, the breed is a 

 hardy and useful one — indeed, one fancier was so impressed with the 

 cpiautities of eg;j;s laid by my ducks in the Autumn that he gave up his 

 pure-bred Aylesburies and has taken up Crested Ducks. I expect to get 

 fifty per cent, of Crested ducklings in an ordinary season ; the remainder 

 being ordinary ducks of Mallard colour with an occasional white one 

 amongst them. 



XTfoc IRcsting of IDircjinian, pope, ano otber 



Caroinals. 



By M. Aronstrint. 



Inter-breeding of Cardinaes. — The cock Pope I got 

 from Hamlyn about three years ago ; the hen I also got from 

 the same source a little later. Early last season I paired the 

 Pope hen to a Crested cock, and kept them together in a large 

 flight until March, then I turned them loose into my indoor 

 aviary. From this pair I had three nests during last season, 

 containing eleven eggs in all, from which nine young hatched 

 out, but all unfortunately have only lived about three days. 



This season I paired the Pope hen to a Virginian cock, and 

 kept them together in a large flight until March, when I turned 

 them loose into the aviary. They nested and built in a German 

 travelling cage, using for building material roots, fine hay, and 

 horse hair, constructing a very small and pretty nest. Four eggs 

 were laid, which were about the size of a Lark's, heavily speckled 

 or mottled with brown ; these all hatched out, but the young 

 lived but four days. To the cock fell mainly the duties of in- 

 cubation and the construction of the nest. 



Within seven days they again started building operations. 

 This time the nest was composed of Shepherd's Purse and horse 

 hair. Four eggs again formed the clutch ; after about six days I 



* See pLii,-. 



