WATER FOWL OF INDIA AND ASIA. 119 
always be borne in mind in keeping ducks confined that any 
fluttering about in a small space is most deleterious to them, 
on account of their weight and comparative awkwardness ; 
the way in which the poor things will break their claws and 
skin their webs, if confined in too small a space with the use of 
their wings, must be seen to be believed. 
KEEPING Ducks oN TANKS. 
In keeping ducks on a tank, an island on to which they may 
retire at night to escape land vermin, is almost absolutely 
necessary ; it is easy enough, however, to extemporize wooden 
floating ones, of which the birds will intelligently take advan- 
tage. Ducks thrive very well when kept pinioned but other- 
wise at large, better, if anything, than in an aviary; but unless 
the tank is a large one, it ought to be fenced round, for the 
smaller it is, the more prone they are to leave it and go waddling 
about, to their certain destruction. 
Fencing a yard high will do for most ducks, as few can climb 
it ; it should be put very close to the water, within a yard or 
so in fact, so that they cannot yet so far away from their ele- 
ment that a sudden rush and flutter, if alarmed, will not take 
them into it. 
Birds turned out like this will generally have to be pinioned ; 
for though ducks’ wings are more easy to clip effectually than 
those of most birds, owing to their losing all the quills at once, 
yet even a yearly clipping necessitates catching the birds, which is 
not always an easy operation ; and in fact waterfowl in Europe 
are almost always pinioned. I tried turning birds on to 
the Indian Museum tank with some of their quills clipped or 
plucked, and at one time had nearly all the resident Indian 
species there together ; but the result was most disappointing, 
as all departed when they regained the power of flight. And 
the experience of the Calcutta Zoo with their fine piece of water 
has been similar, so that I would not advise any duck-fancier 
to trust his birds with the use of their wings. 
Pinioning, although undoubtedly not a pleasant operation 
for the birds, cannot cause it much subsequent pain, as a pi- 
nioned duck, thrown into the water, takes no such notice of the 
injured wing as it will, for instance, of a sore foot, and I have 
even seen them begin to feed at once. Only one wing should 
be operated on, as the object is to destroy the balance, and 
the part to be amputated is that carrying about the first five 
of the primary quills. This can be found and severed by 
noting the following instructions; for practice of course a 
dead bird should be used—any intended for the table will do. 
Starting from the knuckle-joint, and feeling up towards the 
