THE DUCK 303 



a thousand eggs should produce close on 

 seven hundred ducks for shooting days. 

 The breeding stock requires a certain area 

 of water, to ensure health and the pro- 

 duction of fertile eggs, and where this 

 is not available, the eggs for rearing may 

 have to be bought. 



Although in a wild state ducks are 

 strictly monogamous, they are less par- 

 ticular in captivity, and the ducks should 

 always exceed the drakes in number, 

 especially as there will probably be wild 

 suitors for their favours. Each duck 

 should lay about two dozen eggs, of 

 which she may be trusted with the half, 

 twelve being about as many as a sizeable 

 hen can manage in comfort. It is a wise 

 precaution to catch up the drakes while 

 the ducks are sitting, as they are apt to be 

 unduly pertinaceous in their attentions, 

 and sometimes bully the duck off her 

 nest. 



Young ducks grow apace, and the 

 chief difficulty is perhaps to keep them 

 clean ; the chief handicaps to existence 



