WILD DUCKS 143 



mussels, shells and all, which gives some idea of the varied 

 diet of these species. The main secret of feeding any of 

 these marine species seems to be to give them, besides grain, 

 occasional special feeds of a diversity of animal or other food. 

 Table scraps would doubtless serve well. The salt in such 

 will do no harm, but rather otherwise, as marine species, of 

 course, get considerable salt from the water. Salt now and 

 then in mash would be good, this being regularly done in 

 England for sea ducks. Fresh water should be suppUed 

 if lacking. Stock could be secured from the various "pen- 

 sioners" along shore partly disabled by gunners. While 

 wounded ducks are apt to die in time from the effect of 

 wounds, many would recover, and probably some, in time, 

 would breed. Some of Mr. Lockwood's stock was secured 

 in this way. Once get a young stock started, especially 

 some hand-raised females, further success would be quite 

 probable. Males of wild ducks captured are found to breed 

 more readily than such captives of the other sex. 



Plan Succeeded. Since writing the above I learn from 

 O. R. Austin that in a salt-marsh pen on a creek, as above, 

 he bred scaup ducks successfully, and sold the young. 

 This was in Rhode Island. 



Starting a Stock. How matters work out with wild stock 

 is illustrated by the experience of E. H. Austin with the 

 black duck. This species when wild has a shy, nervous tem- 

 perament, and does not breed readily unless in large, marshy 

 enclosures. Mr. Austin, after considerable effort, got a few 

 settings of eggs from captive wild stock in this way, which 

 he hatched and raised with hens. These young when reared 

 proved quite tame. Early in the spring, in a poultry yard, 

 they mated, and one made a nest in the shed. They were 

 then put out in a meadow and swamp enclosure with a brook, 

 and laid splendidly. Unfortunately their nests were not 



