Vol 'l9W XVI ] Wright, Black Duck Nesting at Boston. 361 



The drake came in on the wing five minutes after the young had 

 embarked on the pond and joined his family for a time. He had 

 been absent almost altogether during the period of incubation, 

 only occasionally being seen on the Garden pond. But on some 

 of the days he was no farther away than the Frog pond on the 

 Common and had the companionship variously of one, two, or 

 three other drakes. During the days following the presence of 

 the ducklings on the pond with their mother he was seldom with 

 his family. 



On May 23, when the ducklings had been but three days upon 

 the water, the family was missed from the pond. But shortly 

 a loud quacking was heard from the northwest corner of the 

 grounds, and it was found that the mother with one duckling was 

 travelling toward the pond, while the four remaining ducklings 

 were struggling to get out of a fountain basin and follow her. 

 This they could not do on account of the height of the granite 

 curbing. A dozen men had gathered, attracted by the mother's 

 calls, and seeing that the attempts of the ducklings were unavail- 

 ing, it was at length suggested that a garden bench be placed on 

 an incline with one end in the water and effort be made to induce 

 them to clamber up this incline. This was done, and after a time 

 the idea of a means of escape thereby came to them and they began 

 its ascent. But the bench proved to be slippery, as it was wet with 

 rain, and the ducklings slid back as often as they made an advance. 

 The thought then occurred to place newspapers which were at 

 hand on the wet surface of the bench. This done, after a little 

 time of further effort the ducklings were again induced to try the 

 ascent, and three succeeded in climbing to the top and tumbling 

 to the ground. Meanwhile the mother duck had left her one 

 duckling safe on the pond and returned quacking for the four, a 

 reversal of the story of "the ninety and nine." With a little more 

 perseverance the one remaining duckling was induced to climb 

 the newspaper-covered bench and was at last in safety with its 

 mother and the three, and all travelled to the pond and joined the 

 duckling left there, which meanwhile had remained unconcerned 

 over its isolation as if it comprehended the whole proceeding. The 

 interest and patiently rendered assistance of the men, who were 

 passing through the Garden at the time to their work, was a pleasing 

 instance of spontaneous kindness and sympathy. 



