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Paradise Ducks.



few yards when she attacks him and then back he comes again.

I hope by degrees they will become reconciled and make another

nest this spring.


They are the most talkative birds I have ever heard, and as

soon as anyone appears they begin to chatter and continue to call

ont when anyone is about, and lay their necks on the ground

and run along after one.


They are extraordinarily tame and the female lies down

quite quietly to be stroked and looks as if she had been

mesmerized.


It is very funny to watch the way the duck runs after the

boy who feeds them and the other birds; she never stops to eat

herself when he is there, but rushes about after him at every

turn, calling out all the time.


They are rather pugnacious, too, and keep all the other

ducks and geese, such as Sheldrakes, Carolina Ducks, White-

fronted Bernicle, Chinese and Magellan gesse, in great order.


When the Paradise ducks first arrived, a Demoiselle Crane

took complete charge of them and kept all the other birds from

interfering and wandered after them wherever they went, and

was very much perturbed when they swam out on the water

farther than she could wade, but as soon as they took to

wandering she had to give up her occupation as nurse.


The male and female differ considerably in size, the duck

being a good deal smaller. The male has a black head and neck,

with dark grey pencilled body, becoming browner towards the

tail. White, green and chestnut bars on the wings and primary

feathers black. The female has a white head and neck and

chestnut brown body, the same white, green and chestnut bars

on the wings and grey pencilling on the back, but not as distinct

as the male bird.


They are much like the Australian Sheldrake without

the chestnut baud underneath.


I think anyone would find them most entertaining birds

to add to their collection.



