BIRDS MET WITH BY THE WILDFOWLER 311 
majority of birds met with, however, in winter are immigrants 
from the Continent, who leave us again early in the year. 
The adult Drake in full plumage is a beautiful bird. The 
head and upper neck are metallic green; lower neck, breast, 
and scapulars white; back brown; shoulders pale blue; 
greater wing-coverts white. The under parts are deep chest- 
nut ; speculum green; bill black; legs orange. Length about 
20 in. 
The Duck is dark brown, with light rufous buff edgings to 
the feathers. Shoulders bluish. The young at first resemble 
the Duck, and in November begin to assume the ‘Inter- 
mediate”’ plumage described above, except that the breast 
feathers are spotted and not barred. It does not always 
assume its full plumage in the first year. 
MALLARD OR WILD DUCK 
Anas boschas (Linneus) 
The Mallard is a resident species in the British Isles, and 
is our commonest and most beautiful Duck. It is, perhaps, 
not so abundant recently owing to the drainage of fen-lands ; 
but this species still makes its home in most of the marshes 
in our islands. 
It feeds chiefly by night on worms, aquatic insects, water 
weeds, and grain, and prefers ditches overgrown with weeds 
or shallow ponds to open stretches of deep water. It chooses 
its nesting site in early spring, usually on the ground and at no 
great distance from water, but occasionally it has been known 
to nest in trees, faggots, stacks, and other elevated places. 
In the wild state the Mallard, as the male of this species is 
called, is strictly monogamous, and during the whole of incuba- 
tion he will remain near the nest to warn his mate of the 
approach of danger, and accompany her when she comes off to 
feed. When the young are hatched he retires to some secluded 
