214 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



sible to approach. According to Naumann 

 the duck sits from twenty-four to twenty- 

 five days ; for about half this period she 

 is attended by the drake, who roosts 

 during the day not far from the nest, 

 and faithfully accompanies his mate every 

 evening to the feedmg-grounds ; but long 

 before the eggs are hatched, either his 

 ardour has cooled or important business 

 calls him elsewhere, and he leaves her to 

 bring up her brood alone, whilst he retires 

 into the marshes to undergo his first moult. 

 As soon as the young are able to fly, the 

 female leaves them to fight their own way 

 in the world, whilst she undergoes her 

 one annual and complete moult in the 

 most retired locality she can find. As 

 soon as the frosts begin the Wigeon leaves 

 its breeding-grounds for the south." 



Mr. Abel Chapman, in his " Bird-Life 

 of the Borders," after commenting on the 

 fact that Wigeon for some weeks after 

 arriving south in autumn remain inside 

 harbour throughout the day, instead of 

 flying out to sea at dawn as is their custom 

 later on, continues : — " This phase in the 

 character of Wigeon is rather remarkable, 

 and appears at first sight to point to the 

 conclusion that they are, by nature, diurnal 

 in their habits, and that they are only 



