170 BIRDS OF THE PLAINS 



lamellated or toothed to form a most efficient sieve. 

 We were not acquainted with the fact that the natural 

 food of the duck is composed of small, soft substances, 

 that as the bird puts its head under water it catches up 

 its breath to suck in the soft substances that may be 

 floating by, that these become broken up as they pass 

 through the duck's patent filter, only those that are 

 approved being retained and swallowed. But the want 

 of this knowledge did not diminish by one jot or tittle 

 our enjoyment. When all the bread was disposed of, 

 we would inflate and " pop " the paper bag — a perform- 

 ance which gave us nearly as much pleasure as feeding 

 the ducks. 



As I grew older I came to regard the feeding of 

 ducks as a childish amusement, and in no way suited 

 to one who had attained the dignity of stand-up collars. 

 So, for some years, I took but little interest in the birds, 

 except on the occasions when one confronted me at 

 table. 



It has again become a pleasure to feed ducks, but I 

 fear that, in spite of this, I shoot them more often than 

 I feed them. I must confess that, when I see a great 

 company of the quacking community, the sportsman in 

 me gets the upper hand of the naturalist, the lust of 

 killing prevails over the love of observation. I know 

 of few greater pleasures than to spend a morning at a 

 well-stocked y/^// on a superb winter's day in Northern 

 India, accompanied, of course, by a number of fellow- 

 sportsmen ; for duck shooting is poor sport for a single 

 gun. With but one man after them it is the ducks 

 rather than the human being who enjoy the sport. But, 



