WOOD AND WASTE ^^^ 



waste land, the chances are heavily against 

 the discovery of many nests. Now and 

 again, however, they are dropped upon. 

 One nest found in January, 1909, not 

 very far from the lake edge, and Just off 

 an open grassy ride betw^een flax and fern, 

 contained ten eggs of a dull yellowish green, 

 much the hue of those of her domesticated 

 cousins, except that the greenish tinge is 

 more faint in the wild bird's eggs. In 

 size the eggs of this Grey Duck were about 

 two-thirds as large. 



Unfortunately, I came on the bird very 

 suddenly, and she flew off, badly scared, 

 and without any time for concealment of 

 her eggs. 



From the great depth of this nest — fully 

 six inches — when sitting she must have 

 been completely hidden from all sides, and 

 only her back and head visible from above. 

 The six-inch sides were walls of down 

 tightly compressed into a thick felt. 



Hoping to photograph the bird herself, 

 I set up that afternoon a rough prelimin- 

 ary screen, and as the eggs were much in- 



