HE COMMON DUOK. 137 



THE COMxMON DUCK, or MALLARD. (Anoi 



domestica.') 



The Mallard, or original of our domestic Duck, like sc 

 many other species (says Mr. Nuttall) is common to most 

 parts of the northern hemisphere. As a bird of passage, 

 in spring and autumn, it is seen in eve-y part of the United 

 States, and indeed inhabits more or less the whole continent, 

 from the Gulf of Mexico to the 68th parallel in the fur 

 countries of the Canadian wilderness. In Europe it is met 

 with everywhere, up to the dreary climates of Greenland, 

 where many even pass the greater part of the winter. 

 They breed in the inland woody districts of the fur countries, 

 and more or less through all the intermediate space as far 

 south as Pennsylvania. In England also, as well as in 

 Sweden, Denmark, Ge^ many, and all parts of the vast domi- 

 nions of Russia, no less than Arctic Europe, and the 

 Aleutian Islands in \ he north Pacific, the Wild Duck is 

 known to breed. Tht y nest commonly on the borders of 

 rivers and lakes, sometimes at a considerable distance from 

 water, amongst reeds, grass, or in fields and copses, accord- 

 ing to the convenience of the locality, and occasionally even 

 apon trees impending over waters. For its nest it scrapes 

 together a small quantity of such dry weeds as happen to 

 be contiguouji and lays from ten to eighteen eggs of a 

 bluish wbitA, >t *b« time of incubation, the female plucka 

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