WATERFOWL 



of its former ceremonial, observed some time 

 during the month of June. 



Swans, like both of the other groups, are 

 distinguished by a separate name for either 

 sex : pen and cob for the swan, gander and 

 goose, drake and duck, and the figurative 

 use of some of these terms in such popular 

 sayings as " making ducks and drakes of 

 money," " sauce for the goose," etc., is too 

 familiar to call for more than passing mention. 



Nearly all these waterfowl, though seen 

 on dry land to much the same disadvantage 

 as fish out of water, are exceedingly graceful 

 in either air or water, though not all ducks are 

 as capable of diving as the name would im- 

 ply. The proverbial futility of a wild goose 

 chase recognises the pace of these birds on 

 the wing, which, though, in common with 

 that of some other birds, popularly exagger- 

 ated, is considerably faster than, owing to 

 their short wings and heavy build, might 

 appear to the careless observer. 



Ducks have a curious habit of adding down 

 to the nest after the eggs are laid and before 

 incubation, and this provision of warm pack- 

 ing is turned to account in Iceland and other 

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