Paradise Ducks.



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PARADISE DUCKS.


By Miss Innis Dorien Smith.


In May, 1908, my brother brought me back a pair of

Paradise Ducks (New Zealand Sheldrakes) from that country.

I still have them well and flourishing. Of course the first year

they made no attempt to nest, but the following spring I had

them in an enclosed wire run (they were pinioned) on the edge of

a fresh water pool, in which I had put some branches and one

day under these branches I discovered the duck was sitting on

two eggs.


I was afraid she would not be able to rear the young ones

herself, as the place was by no means safe from rats, so I took

the eggs and put them under a hen, but sad to relate only one

duckling appeared and that was promptly squashed by the hen !


Last year they made no attempt at nesting although they

were put in the same enclosure. I was obliged to keep them in

as when they first came they had a strange habit of wandering

right away, and one morning at 5 a.m., paid a call on the keeper’s

house in the village, a mile away at the other end of the island ;

and they were also found another day down on the beach and

going towards the sea where they were caught and brought safely

back, and for fear they might stray right away, I had to put them

in the wire enclosure for the rest of the spring. Each year I

have had to do the same, as every spring they wander to another

part of the island.


At the beginning of last December I think they made

another attempt at nesting, although the nest was never actually

found, but the male disappeared across the pool for two or three

days, and although they called to each other they never attempted

to meet. I think he realized his wife would be furious with him

for having left the nest and he was quite right, as when he did

attempt to return he was driven off and violently attacked by

his furious wife who would not allow him near the place ! This

went on for some time, but he became gradually braver and

thought he must “face the music”; and now, although she is

perpetually turning round and chasing him, he walks about two

or three yards behind her at a respectful distance, runs away a



