Birds of Kergaeltii Inland. 5 



investigating the local distribution of the seals, and, having 

 finished our lunch, we were surprised to see a flock of 18 

 Ducks rise in the distance and settle close to us, and when 

 we sank into a " dip,'^ almost hidden from their view, they 

 actually walked to the edge and looked into our faces. 

 When I was alone the birds were not at all shy, for it was to 

 my advantage to go along so quietly that I always wandered 

 among their families without giving them much concern. 

 Occasionally I would flush one, and knew then that its 

 anxiety was for the rest ; or, if it feigned to be wounded, its 

 device was to save a duckling, though, as a rule, the young 

 one knew how to protect itself in the grasses. I followed 

 one old bird for 150 yards, merely to test its deluding power, 

 and then it gaily flew away. 



I was interested in seeing Ducks at work along the tiny 

 brooks, raising all the grass in an area of about 30 or 40 

 yards in search of food, or following the quickly-falling 

 course to unearth tlie tender roots. I noticed them princi- 

 pally on low ground ; they were not so numerous at greater 

 elevations, such as Thumb Peak, 1500 feet. On the wing 

 the note is a quack, or rather a wheezing noise. The Ducks 

 are scared by the Skmi, and rise at once when one flies over 

 them ; but the Skuas do not seem to catch them, for I never 

 saw any of their remains. Yet they are timid birds, as I 

 judged by noticing the eff'ect of a falling rock below a cliff"; 

 they stretched their necks, and for some time did not con- 

 tinue to feed, while other species were not in the least con- 

 cerned. Many nests were found in patches of Acaena, where 

 they were nicely sheltered below the leaves. Dr. Kidder has 

 observed that the eggs were generally covered with grasses 

 by the birds when they left the nests. This applies to his finds 

 in patches of Azorel/a, where the precaution is necessary; 

 but among the Acaena it is not needed, owing to the s2)ringy 

 nature of the grass. The eggs were never covered before the 

 nest was left. Only the sides and edges of the nests Avere 

 made of down, as a rule ; the exception was merely a hollow, 

 scantily or not at all feathered. Generally the nests are 

 carefully hidden, but in two cases the eggs were quite exposed, 

 with very little down around them (December 28th). One 



