( 66 ) 

 ON A MALLARD DUCK REMOVING HER EGGS. 



BY 

 EMMA L. TURNER. 



I FIRST attempted to photograph this Mallard duck 

 {Anas hoscas) on May 30th, 1910, but waited for her in 

 vain about four hours. Her own eggs had been removed 

 and a clutch of addled ones substituted, as the duck-tribe 

 is exceedingly shy, and when disturbed will often not 

 return to the nest for many hours. 



The next day I tried again, and after three hours' 

 delay, thought I had secured a photograph of the duck 

 brooding, but there was nothing on the plate ! Having 

 other and more interesting work, which occupied me till 

 June 28th, I forgot all about this troublesome duck ; 

 but, finding she was still persistently brooding and I had 

 a spare day or two, it seemed worth while making another 

 attempt, besides which I was very tired, and the prospect 

 of four hours of sitting still with intervals for sleep was 

 not without its attractions for once. But I paid heavily 

 for not being wide awake and attending strictly to business. 

 The Duck onl}^ kept me waiting an hour and a half. I awoke 

 to find her creeping slowly up to the nest ; when close to 

 it, she carefully surveyed the situation, and evidently 

 took exception to something, what I cannot tell ; the inner 

 workings of a bird's — and especially a duck's — mind are 

 as complex, and sometimes as irresponsible, as a woman's. 

 My shelter had stood opposite her for a month and ap- 

 parently presented the same front ; but to the wary bird 

 there was a difference, for suddenly she made up her mind, 

 and, thrusting her bill into the nest, raked up four 

 eggs all together — shovelled them up, perhaps, I should 

 say — till they rested against her breast, then gently 

 assisted them out of the nest. I, alas, not being fully 

 awake, thought she was merely making a space inside the 

 nest in which to plant her great splay feet before arranging 

 herself upon the eggs, and thus lost my best chance of a 

 curious photograph. Having done this she seemed in 

 two minds and unable to come to any decision. After 



