The Smaller Waterfowl. 109 



Amongst foreign species, the Mandarin and Carolina ducks 

 will always be the most popular, for besides being brilliantly and 

 beautifully coloured they are hardy and always obtainable, and 

 the Carolina at least is a very free breeder. Japanese or Baikal 

 Teal, formerly some of the rarest, have recently become the 

 commonest foreign ducks on the market. The drake, when in 

 colour, is nearly as handsome as a Mandarin. When first im- 

 ported they are very wild indeed, and if turned down on a pond 

 that is not well fenced in will probably disappear at once. But 

 they soon become fairly tame. Other beautiful species are the 

 Chiloe Wigeon, Bahama Ducks, Chilian Pintail, Red-crested 

 Pochard, and several very beautiful Teal. 



The Tree Ducks form a group by themselves, of which the 

 White-faced and Fulvous are perhaps the best known. They are 

 quite hardy and will do well if treated in the same way as the 

 other ducks, but they are somewhat quarrelsome. I have found, 

 however, that a pair or two kept with other ducks on a fair-sized 

 pond will do no harm. 



Regarding the conditions that are necessary for the keep- 

 ing of a collection of ornamental waterfowl. If a large natural 

 pond, fed by a stream, and surrounded with rushes and grass, is 

 available, no more suitable place could be found, especially if it 

 should contain an island or two, and be sheltered from the cold 

 winds by a belt of trees or rising ground. But such situations 

 are not always to be found, and it may be necessary to construct 

 an artificial pond such as those in the Zoological Gardens, where, 

 in spite of many drawbacks, a large collection of ornamental 

 waterfowl is maintained. 



Space for the ducks to roam on grass is almost as necessary 

 as the pond itself, for many kinds of ducks arfe fond of grazing 

 like Geese, and roaming in search of worms after a shower of 

 rain. At nesting time also they like to choose their nesting 

 places, often at considerable distance from the water. So when 

 planning a place for waterfowl, the larger the area of ground 

 surrounding the pond the better will the collection thrive. 



If the site is much exposed to cold winds .some sort of 

 shelter should be provided in the form of rustic sheds, or shelters 

 made of rushes tied into bundles and propped up like wheat 

 shocks. 



