MALLARD. 



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Ducks have sprung, and on that account we have a 

 special interest in it. It is a wonderfully knowing bird 

 and learns to take care of itself with surprising instinct. 

 Seebohm says: "They seem to know perfectly well 

 that they are watched by their enemies, that small 

 ponds are not often visited by sportsmen, and that the 

 sportsman is not likely to be informed of their presence 

 on the larger sheets of water unless they appear in 

 some numbers. They soon learn to distinguish a 

 labourer from a keeper, no doubt from his actions, and 



MALLARD. 



not from his appearance. If not molested they will 

 breed, year after year, in the same corner ; but if the 

 eggs are taken they will not have forgotten the fact a 

 year hence, but will try another hiding-place." 



In winter these birds are mostly seen in large flocks 

 flying to and from their feeding grounds. Worms, 

 slugs, water plants, all kinds of water animals, acorns 

 and grain, all form a portion of their food ; in fact 

 there are few things they will not eat. 



They breed generally in the vicinity of water, but 

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