400 THE WILD-DUCK. 



that they were induced to do so by simply burrowing 

 holes about three or four feet deep, like rabbit-holes, 

 in the bank, a foot or two above the water. The bird 

 thus found her accustomed accommodation, and lost no 

 time in availing herself of it. Ducks, too, like Geese, 

 have a strong sense of affection; we cannot, indeed, 

 produce instances so striking or so interesting as those 

 related of the latter, but the two following instances 

 show a similar tendency towards animal, as well as human 

 beings. 



A clergyman had a very fierce and noisy house-dog, 

 within the length of whose chain it would have been 

 dangerous for a stranger to have ventured; but notwith- 

 standing his apparently savage disposition, a brood of 

 Ducklings, reared in the yard in which he was kept, soon 

 became so fond of him, that whenever, from his barking, 

 they apprehended danger, they would rush towards him 

 for protection and seek shelter in his kennel. 



A farmer's wife had a young Duck, which by some 

 accident was deprived of its companions, and from that 

 moment seemed to concentrate all its affections on her. 

 Wherever she moved, it followed her so closely, that she 

 was in constant fear of treading upon and crushing it 

 to death. As it grew older, its affection seemed to 

 strengthen rather than diminish; it laid itself by the 

 fire and basked on the hearth, and when noticed, seemed 

 delighted; this continued till some other Ducks were 

 procured, when, being constantly driven out of the house, 

 it gradually associated itself with its more natural com- 

 panions. 



Another case was that of a pair of Muscovy Ducks, 

 which were landed at Holyhead, from a Liverpool vessel 

 returning from the coast of Africa. The male was con- 

 veyed to a gentleman's house in the neighbourhood, and 

 introduced to a flock of Ducks; but to them he mani- 

 fested the greatest indifference, and was evidently pining 

 at the loss of his mate, when one day she too was brought 

 up and turned loose; for a short time, being engaged at 



