354 THE WILD DUCK. 



In Derbyshire, a gentleman's gamekeeper observed a Wild 

 Duck fly out of a large oak, in which the year preceding had 

 been a Hawk's nest. On examination, she was found to have 

 laid two eggs in the old nest, completely repaired. 



Another instance occurred at Madeley, in Staffordshire. In 

 this case, the Wild Duck took possession of a Rook's nest at 

 the top of an oak-tree. The Drake was also seen to perch 

 on a bough near her, and occasionally in her absence sat on 

 the nest. 



This is not a solitary instance of birds usually building on 

 the ground, giving an accidental preference to another and 

 apparently unnatural situation. At Caistor, in Norfolk, a 

 Bantam Hen was observed to fly into the branches of a 

 spruce-fir, and take possession of a Wood-Pigeon's nest, about 

 fourteen feet from the ground ; there she laid five eggs, and 

 no doubt would have hatched her brood, had not the nest 

 been unfortunately destroyed ; neither would there have been 

 any danger to the young ones, as it is a well-known fact, that 

 chickens, soon after they are hatched, may fall from a height 

 of several feet without sustaining any injury. 



In the preserves of the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's 

 Park, London, we saw the nest of a Wild Duck on the roof 

 of a thatched cottage by the water-side. The keeper was 

 ordered to keep a good look-out, in order to see how the young 

 ones would contrive to reach the ground ; but they eluded his 

 watchfulness by disappearing one morning, when he and his 

 family were absent at church. It is, indeed, difficult to 

 account for the exceptions to the accustomed habits of Wild 

 Ducks : we should suppose, that naturally they would prefer 

 a convenient spot close to the water, and in such places their 

 nests are usually built. Once, indeed, to our surprise, a nest 

 was found in a patch of high grass, within a few feet of the 

 spot where a boat was drawn up ; and either so closely had 

 the Duck sat, or so cleverly had she timed her visits to and 

 fro, that it was not till after some time discovered by a car- 

 penter, who had been for three or four days on the spot, 

 repairing the boat. But, from several other circumstances 

 coming under our observation, we have reason to believe that 



