Vol 'i*i9 XVI ] Wright, Black Duck Nesting at Boston. 365 



desire, owned and controlled by no human agency. Protective 

 laws now in operation for several years have materially furthered 

 the possibilities and even probabilities of just such an occurrence 

 as the choice for breeding of a much frequented city garden like 

 the Boston Public Garden, possessing a pond and suitable island 

 within it. And as wild ducks just from a fully wild life soon come 

 to feel at ease and safe, gradually losing apprehensive fear, when 

 unmolested in their occupancy of park and reservation waters 

 during their migratory flights, which the extended visits of wild 

 ducks 1 to Jamaica and Leverett ponds in recent years have shown, 

 so these Black Ducks of the Public Garden, which already had lived 

 in some degree of confiding association with man on neighboring 

 waters, soon became as wonted to the peopled garden and as little 

 apprehensive upon near approach as domesticated ducks of farm 

 or public park. Yet they retain their freedom, as the latter do 

 not, and live their own lives unmodified by the control of man. 

 This is cause for congratulation and gratitude to the agencies 

 which have so efficiently and earnestly labored for laws covering 

 the protection of our wild fowl. 



It may be stated that the Boston Public Garden has an area of 

 twenty-four acres and is located somewhat centrally within the 

 city, the Charles River Basin, however, lying in close proximity 

 to its northern side. The pond occupies three and three-fourths 

 acres of the whole area. It is shallow, not paved except around 

 the margin, but has a muddy bottom, and it is bordered by granite 

 curbing. In former years European Swans and for one or two 

 seasons Muscovy Ducks were kept by the park department on the 

 grounds during the season when the pond was open, but in these 

 recent years of the nesting of the Black Ducks no other water fowl 

 have lived within the Garden. The Blacks, therefore, have had 

 undisputed possession, while the swans and domesticated ducks 

 have been maintained at Franklin Park in connection with the 

 city's zoological collection there. 



In the spring of 1918, this pair of Black Ducks made its reappear- 

 ance on March 25, when the pond was still incased in ice, making 

 a circuit, over the Garden, but not alighting. Two days later 



i Some Rare Wild Ducks wintering at Boston. Auk, XXVII, Oct. 1910, pp. 390-10S. 



