DUCKS 171 



given three or four companions, what better sport is 

 there than that afforded by a day on a well-stocked y////? 

 At a preconcerted signal the various shooters, each in 

 his boat, put off from different parts of the bank of the 

 lake and make for the middle, which is black with a 

 great company of quack-quacks, composed chiefly 

 of white-eyed pochards, gadvvalls, and spotted-bills. 

 Suddenly a number of duck take alarm and get up ; 

 then the fun begins. For half an hour or more one 

 enjoys a succession of good sporting shots ; the firing is 

 so constant that one's gun grows almost too hot to hold. 

 Soon, however, all the duck that are not shot down 

 betake themselves to some other jhil, and only the 

 coots remain. 



Excellent sport though duck shooting be, I am thankful 

 to say that in these latter days my acquaintance with 

 the duck tribe is not confined to shooting and eating 

 members of it. I occasionally have the opportunity of 

 coming into more friendly relations with it. 



The duck is a bird worth knowing. He is a fowl of 

 character, a creature that commands not only our respect, 

 but our affection. He makes an excellent pet, as any one 

 may find out by purchasing some bazaar ducks. 



Some years ago the cook of the Superintendent of 

 Police of a certain district in the United Provinces pur- 

 chased a couple of these birds. When bought they were 

 in an emaciated condition, and it was the intention of 

 the cook to fatten them up and then set them before his 

 master. But before the fattening process was completed 

 the small sons of the policeman took a great fancy to 

 the birds, and the birds reciprocated the fancy. The 



