MALLARD. lOl 



it is frequently placed among- trees, occasionally in a 

 hollow stump, even in the tree itself; usually, though, in 

 such cases, the bird occupies some enii)ty nest left over 

 from a previous season. It recjuires about four weeks 

 for the eggs to hatch, and the female at once leads the 

 young to the water, and assists them to procure suitable 

 food. The ducklings are very active, dive with ease, 

 and hide at the least alarm with great celerity and suc- 

 cess, sinking in the water and leavmg the bill only above 

 the surface. Numbers perish from various causes, for 

 they have many enemies of the air, land, and water: 

 hawks and owls, sometimes crows, also all kinds of 

 four-footed creatures prowling about the swamps and 

 marshes, not counting sundry snakes, prey upon 

 them, while many a downy young disappears suddenly 

 from the midst of the little family swimming quietly 

 along, seized from beneath the surface by some turtle or 

 predatory fish. So greatly are they exposed to manifold 

 dangers that the only wonder is so many reach maturity. 

 During the nesting season the males moult, the females 

 not undergoing this process until the young are hatched. 

 The breeding season is over by June, and when the brood 

 is full grown the male rejoins his family. During the 

 earlier part of the summer the plumage of the male is 

 very similar to that of the female, but toward September 

 he assumes the beautiful dress bv which he is so well 

 known throughout the world. 



In the Northeastern States the Mallard is less com- 

 mon than farther south, and from New Brunswick to 

 Massachusetts it may be considered as rather rare in 

 comparison with other species of Ducks. In the West- 

 ern States the Mallard visits the corn-fields, and in the 

 Southern Atlantic States the rice-fields, and becomes 

 very fat on these kinds of food, and also of excellent fla- 



