ANAS PLATVRHYNCHA 159 



Mallard have queer fancies, and often resort to places where one 

 would least expect them. I well remember a drake which used to 

 come year after year to a tiny pond in a large private garden, where 

 there were few or no weeds on the water; but it was entirely enclosed 

 by trees and in a very deep shade. As soon as the breeding- season 

 was on he used to go off, presumably to carry on his natural di;ties 

 as a husband and a father, but he never brought back with him either 

 wife or family. There were sometimes tame ducks about the place, 

 but he never seemed to care to associate with them, and kept them 

 always at a respectal)le distance. What rendered it more curious 

 that he should have chosen such a place was the fact that the garden 

 was in the county of Norfolk, and was surrounded by the famous 

 broads and fens, where he might have obtained the society of any 

 number of his own kind. 



Yet another pair used to resort every winter to a small pond 

 joined to a moat which ran round an old monastery. These were 

 never seen on the moat itself, nor on any of the numerous ponds 

 close to it, but when disturbed — they seldom were — used to fly 

 straight away, not to return for some days. 



C'olvin records a curious habit of this duck. Writing from Bandar 

 Al)l)as, he say.s that during February and early JMarch, 1918, he con- 

 stantly noticed them settling on the sea close in-shore, the flocks 

 remaining there from morning to evening. The birds seemed to take 

 little notice of the work of loading and unloading ships close by, but 

 they were very wary, and would not alkiw of an approach within 

 "un-shot. 



