THE HOME OF THE WILD DUCK. 217 
of them may sometimes be seen directing their unerring course to- 
wards their destination, the rustling of their wings being heard at 
considerable distances. ‘The leading bird, which directs the course 
of the band, and which is thus exposed to the first resistance of the 
wind, from being foremost to cleave the air, soon becomes fatigued, 
when it falls back into the second rank, its place in the van being 
immediately taken by another (PLATE V.) 
Wild Ducks are extremely suspicious in their nature. When they 
want to settle down on any spot, or to go from one pool to another, 
they sweep round in concentric curves, descending and ascending 
again and again, until they have made a complete survey of their 
intended halting-place. 
The margins of fresh-water lakes, pools, and marshes, are the 
principal localities frequented by the Wild Duck, so long as the 
frosts of winter do not prevent their obtaining the water-insects and 
aquatic weeds on which they feed. But when the ice has covered the 
stagnant waters, they betake themselves to more temperate climates, 
invariably following the courses of the rivers and running streams. 
When they return northward after the great thaw—that is, about the 
end of February—they disperse in pairs among the rushes, reeds, and 
sedge-grasses, in search of breeding-places, constructing a bulky nest 
of weeds, which is simply la‘d on the ground, and generally near 
to water. 
Much ingenuity of construction is not to be looked for in the nest 
of the Wild Duck. A favourite situation is a thickly-grown tuft of 
sedge, from which they pluck off a few of the blades, bend down the 
other stems so as to form a foundation, the surface being covered 
with a soft layer of down. ‘Their nests are occasionally found at 
some distance from water, amidst heath or broom, or even in the 
fork of a tree, the female having been known to take possession of a 
magpie or crow’s nest, which had been abandoned. 
The Duck lays from five to ten eggs, and sometimes more ; their 
colour varies, but is generally a dull greenish white. The female sits 
alone, and only quits the nest to seek her food, when she covers it 
up carefully with any rubbish at hand; on her return, the cunning 
creature alights a considerable distance from it, and glides through 
the grass, looking in every direction to see that she is not watched ; 
if discovered, she will even feign lameness to induce pursuit, so that 
she may draw off intruders from her brood. 
Incubation lasts about a month. ‘The young ones are then 
hatched, all generally bursting the egg on the same day. ‘They are 
covered with a close yellow down, and are quite alert when they 
