WILD DUCK. ll 
change in these matters in a country where now only a few 
chance birds fall by the gun in the course of a winter.’ 
In Cornwall, the Wild Duck is not uncommon near 
Falmouth. 
In Ireland it is pientiful. 
Watery districts, ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, are the 
natural resorts of these birds. 
The Wild Duck is a resident throughout the country, but 
even in Orkney large flocks arrive in the autumn from still 
more northern regions. ‘In the extreme north the Mallard 
is a migratory species, in the temperate climes indigenous, 
and in the southern a winter visitant.’ 
The time of movement from the north begins in the 
month of October, and continues throughout November. 
‘During this time the flocks that pass over are immense, both 
with respect to number and extent. These migrations are 
chiefly performed during the night, but at times, when cir- 
cumstances hurry them on, they continue the same durmg 
the day. The manner in ‘which they fly is in the form of 
a slanting line, as if broken in its centre. When the journeys 
are to short distances, they are performed in small parties, 
following the course of the water or of low wet grounds, and 
they sometimes fly in a confused low mass near the ground.’ 
Bishop Stanley writes—‘Ducks too, like Geese, have a 
strong sense of affection. We cannot, indeed, produce instances 
so striking or so interesting as those related of the latter, 
but the two following instances shew a similar tendency 
towards animals as well as human beings:— 
A clergyman had a very fierce and noisy house-dog, within 
the length of whose chain it would have been dangerous 
for a stranger to have ventured; but, notwithstanding this 
apparently savage disposition, a brood of ducklings, reared in 
the yard in which he was kept, soon became so fond of 
him, that whenever, from his barking, they apprehended 
danger, they would rush towards him for protection, and seek 
shelter in his kennel. 
A farmer’s wife had a young Duck, which by some accident 
was deprived of its companion, and from that moment seemed 
to concentrate all its affections on her. Wherever she moved 
it followed her so closely that she was in constant fear of 
treading upon and crushing it to death. As it grew older 
its affection seemed to strengthen rather than diminish; it 
laid itself by the fire and basked on the hearth, and when 
