WILD DUCK. 175 



records an instance, within his own knowledge, and near his 

 own residence, " where a Wikl Dnck laid her eggs in the 

 old nest of a crow, at least thirty feet from the ground. At 

 this elevation she hatched her young ; and as none of them 

 were found dead beneath the tree, it was presumed she carried 

 them safely to the ground in her bill, a mode of conveyance 

 known to be frequently adopted by the Eider Duck."" I 

 have a note of a nest with fifteen eggs, upon which the female 

 was sitting hard, just ready to hatch, on the 8rd of May. 

 The eggs are of a greenish-white colour, smooth on the sur- 

 face, two inches three lines and a half long, by one inch seven 

 lines in breadth. The young ducks are two months or ten 

 weeks before they can fly, and formerly advantage was taken 

 of this inability, to have, in the fens, an annual driving of 

 the young ducks before they took wing. Numbers of people 

 assembled, who beat a vast tract, and forced the birds into a 

 net placed at the spot where the sport was to terminate. A 

 hundred and fifty dozens have been taken at once ; but this 

 practice being supposed to be detrimental, has been abolished 

 by act of Parliament. — Pennant. 



These birds feed on grain, or seeds, worms, slugs, insects, 

 and small fish. As soon as the female begins to sit the 

 males leave them, and soon after undergo that remarkable 

 change in the colour of their plumage, which has already 

 been referred to in the males of several species belonging to 

 this division of this extensive family. 



The change in the Mallard is thus characteristically de- 

 scribed by Mr. Waterton from personal observation. 



" At the close of the breeding-season the drake undergoes 

 a very remarkable change of plumage ; on viewing it, all 

 speculation on the part of the ornithologist is utterly con- 

 founded ; for there is not the smallest clue afforded him, by 

 which he may be enabled to trace out the cause of this strange 

 phenomenon. To Him alone, who has ordered the Ostrich 



