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way, invading all the hen-houses, and at last fixed upon a nest¬

ing place in a large dark cider-house. Getting through a hole

in the door (cut to allow cats to enter), the duck scraped a

hollow in some sand at the back of the barrels, which she

lined with down from her body, and there deposited her eggs

and brought off five young ones ; and every year since they have

nested in the same place and reared broods of from 5 to 9.


The old birds are very proud of their young, and march

them round the poultry-yard, driving away the chicks from the

food in order that their own young may enjoy it.


The drake becomes so aggressive that he has to be shut

up. He will attack anybody or anything. I once saw him rush

at a fox terrier and seize it by the ear, but fortunately the dog

did not turn on him. Another time he seized my father by the

trousers and held on.


Confining the whole family in an enclosure proves fatal

to the young, though in the open they run great risks, as rats

and crows are very fond of them.


They feed with the poultry on soft food containing about

equal proportions of barley, maize-meal, and sharps, and hard

food as maize, wheat, dari, &c.


If confined they should have a little half boiled vermicelli

scraps of meat, and as much duckweed as they can eat.


A peculiar and amusing habit of the young when a few

days old is the stamping about on the grass as if to warm their

feet; possibly on the sea sand, their usual nursery ground, this

would driye the insects to the surface.


Nothing can be more delightful than to see these ducks

flying round, and it seems a shame to pinion them ; but, if this is

not done soon after they can fly, they eventually disappear.


Last year an amusing incident took place while the male

bird was penned up. A male Fulvous duck, who had recently

lost its mate, took charge of the young Sheld-drakes and re¬

lieved the female of a lot of trouble, often taking sole charge of

them while she went to feed. At this time the young ducks were

bigger than their foster parent.


I do not think Sheld-drakes are often met with breeding

in captivity, but several instances are recorded of their pro¬

ducing hybrids with the common duck.



