MALLARD. 359 



Gadwall, Shoveller, Pintail, Teal, Garganey, and Wigeon, 

 which will be found to have the following characters in 

 common. Externally they exhibit considerable length of 

 neck ; the wings are long, reaching nearly to the end of 

 the tail ; the tarsi somewhat round ; the hind toe free, or 

 having no pendent lobe. In habits they may be described 

 as frequenting water, but passing much of their time on 

 land, feeding in ditches and about the shallow margins 

 of pools, on aquatic plants, insects, worms, and occa- 

 sionally on small fish ; taking their food at or near the 

 surface ; possessing great powers of flight, but seldom 

 diving unless pursued. Of their internal soft parts, the 

 stomach is in the greatest degree muscular, forming a 

 true gizzard ; the intestines long ; the cnecal appendages 

 from six to nine inches in length in the larger birds, 

 decreasing in proportion to the size of the species. Of 

 the bones it may be observed, that the ribs are short, the 

 angle formed by the union of the last pair on each side 

 extending but little beyond the line of the posterior edge of 

 the sternum ; the keel of the breast-bone deep, affording 

 great extent of surface for the attachment of large and 

 powerful pectoral muscles ; the enlargement at the bottom 

 of the trachea, in all of them, is of bone only. The males 

 of the species of this division are further remarkable for a 

 change in the colours of some parts of their plumage, by 

 which they become, for a time during summer, more or less 

 like their females. 



The Mallard or Wild Duck was formerly more numerous 

 in the British Islands than it is at present. To the progress 

 of draining, and the consequent extension of agriculture, 

 this change may be greatly attributed ; and although a 

 certain number of this handsome and valuable species still 

 remain to breed — especially since the enforcement of the 

 ' Wild Birds Preservation Act ' — they are comparatively few 

 in proportion to the numbers which annually visit this 

 country from eastern and northern latitudes daring winter. 

 Particular spots, or decoys, in the fen countries, used to 



