174 ANATID.E. 



principal fliglit of foreign fowl does not arrive till the weather 

 becomes severe ; at that time all sorts arrive, with the ex- 

 ception of the Garganey, which we do not see before the 

 spring of the year, and then only for a short time previously 

 to the different descriptions of wild-fowl migrating to other 

 countries. 



The Wild Duck is an early breeder ; and Mr. Waterton, 

 in his published essay on this species, considers that the old 

 birds remain pairs through the entire year ; and that the 

 young ones, which have been hatched in the preceding spring, 

 choose their mates long before they depart for the Arctic 

 regions in the following year. With his usual felicity of 

 expression this gentleman observes, " I have a favourite 

 hollow oak tree on a steep hill, into which 1 can retire to 

 watch the movements of the pretty visitors. From this I 

 can often see a male and female on the water beneath me, 

 nodding and bowing to each other with as much ceremony 

 as though they were swimming a minuet, if I may use the 

 term. Hence I conclude that there is mutual love in the 

 exhibition, and that a union is formed." 



The nest is composed of grass, intermixed and lined with 

 down, and is placed on the ground, sometimes near the mar- 

 gin of rivers or lakes, at other times a considerable distance 

 from water. I have known the nest of the Wild Duck to 

 be found in a field of young wheat, sometimes in a thick 

 hedge row, or in a wood. Occasionally the duck will make 

 her nest at a considerable elevation from the ground. One 

 mentioned by Mr. Tunstall, at Etchingham, in Sussex, was 

 found sitting upon nine eggs, on an oak twenty-five feet from 

 the ground. The author of the Rural Sports records an 

 instance of a duck taking possession of the deserted nest of 

 a hawk in a large oak ; and ]\Iontagu makes mention of one 

 that deposited her eggs in the" ])rincipal fork of a large elm 

 tree, and brought her young down in safety. Mr. Selby 



