WILD DUCKS 179 



sets of ducks' eggs were shipped back East as a test, but 

 none of them hatched. The only sure way was the one 

 adopted: to hatch and rear the ducks on the spot, and 

 bring them back in late summer or fall. The journeys 

 were severe, being over 2,000 miles, and lasting four and 

 five days. The first year the ducks were brought back when 

 quite small, and the loss the first week after the journey, 

 from exhaustion, amounted to nearly one quarter, mostly 

 of the duckHngs under three weeks old. Hardly any died 

 that were over three weeks old at the start. On the next 

 expedition the return was not made until late in August, when 

 most of the ducks were fledged, and the loss was only nine. 

 The results of the breeding experiment with the first 

 lot were negatived by the severe winter and imported epi- 

 demic already mentioned on the Childs-Walcott estate 

 where the ducks were kept. Most of them were destroyed, 

 and the survivors enfeebled for breeding the following sea- 

 son. Those of the second expedition have survived well, and 

 a few young produced the next season, of pintail and red- 

 head. I have also learned, from both these experiments, 

 with confirmation from other sources, that young wild ducks 

 under artificial conditions frequently fail to breed the first 

 season, till they are two years old. The shock of the long 

 journey, and other initial disadvantages, gave a set-back 

 and made many of them skip laying the first season. Had 

 the forcing methods previously described been employed, it 

 might have made a difference. Some accidents reduced 

 the stock, but the remainder now appear to be in fine 

 condition, and there should be further results in the future. 



d. Other Conservation Methods 



Practical Conservation. It is coming to be a great source 

 of pleasure for lovers of wild waterfowl to prepare a proper 



