228 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



Ducks always fly with the head and neck stretched 

 out in a line with their bodies, and may be distin- 

 guished from Widgeon by the steadier and greater 

 regularity of their movements in the air, and, when 

 within range, the brown of the Duck's feathers may 

 be distinctl}^ discerned. Ducks, when bent on long 

 flights, do not all move through the air at the same 

 altitude, but some much higher than others ; and 

 large flights generally seem to have a break in the 

 centre, and present a figure very much resembling 

 the outline of North and South America as it appears 

 on the map. When flying near the surface of land 

 or W'ater they are often in a confused mass.* 



Occasionall}^ I have found a pair of Wild Ducks 

 in a small quiet pond at a distance from any road, 

 and in autumn often come upon them in ditches, 

 where thej^ resort to pick up acorns, of which they 

 seem very fond. At other times they feed upon the 

 seeds and leaves of aquatic plants, worms, snails, 

 and small shell-fish. 



In ' The Zoologist ' for 1860-04 (pp. 6922, 9049) will 

 be found a list of the wild fowl observed in winter 

 in the London waters. From this list it appears 

 that, exclusive of hybrids, no less than eight species 

 have been noticed — viz., Gadwall, Widgeon, Teal, 

 Shoveller, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Ferruginous 

 Duck, and Golden Eye. The observer, Mr. Henry 



* Folkards ' Wikl Fowler,' p. 113. 



