134 BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



does not moult till autumn, and is in summer faithful 

 to her duties. 



The great disparity in plumage between duck and 

 drake, and the difference between their seasons of moult, 

 are characteristics common to all the Ducks we have to 

 treat of, from the Mallard to the Goosander. All the 

 drakes, therefore, show a general resemblance in the ap- 

 parently neglectful habits necessitated by their ' eclipse.' 

 The difference in the plumage of the sexes renders the 

 portrayal of both in the accompanying plates a matter of 

 necessity, but it must be understood that it is only as a 

 practical convenience that both birds are shown together 

 beside their nest. The drake, too, is shown in full plum- 

 age, with no signs of coming ' eclipse.' Such a scene is 

 not impossible during the earlier days of incubation, but 

 cannot be regarded as common. 



Besides being shot for both sport and profit, the 

 Mallard and other Ducks are caught in special duck- 

 decoys, the working of which has often been described. 

 Decoys are still greatly in vogue in the Netherlands, 

 whence the system was long ago introduced into the east 

 of England. In the latter, however, it is now ceasing to 

 be of much importance. 



THE GADWALL 



(Anas strepera). 



The Gadwall was introduced into Norfolk in the middle 

 of last century, and under the favourable conditions and 

 careful preservation afforded them there the birds have 

 thriven and multiplied. Moreover, there is ground for 

 believing that they have been the means of inducing 

 perfectly wild birds to remain to nest there also. Apart 



