OP THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 381 



Habits. The Mallard is the commonest species of Duck in the British 

 Islands, and may be met with almost everywhere according to season. Its usual 

 haunts are secluded ponds, lakes, reservoirs, brooks, slow-running rivers, marshy 

 moors and commons, and broads, mud-flats, salt marshes, drains and sluices. 

 Except in the extreme northern and colder portions of its range, the Mallard is a 

 resident, but its numbers are largely increased in our islands during winter, 

 arriving in October and November. The same may be said of India, where, 

 although enormous numbers breed in Cashmere, it is a winter visitor to the rest 

 of the country, arriving at the end of October and leaving by the end of March or 

 early in April. Although not very gregarious in India, where it is usually met 

 with in parties of from three to ten, in other parts of the world, as for instance in 

 our islands, it may frequently be observed in very large flocks, composed principally 

 of migratory individuals and often accompanied by Wigeons and Pintails. The 

 Mallard does not frequent deep water much, unless when alarmed. It is fond of 

 the shallows, where it can feed whilst paddling round the margin, and where the 

 water is not too deep for it to reach the muddy bottom with its bill as it turns 

 upside down, keeping its hind quarters erect by incessant motion of the feet as if 

 in the act of swimming. Few birds fly more rapidly than this species ; Macgillivray 

 computed its flight to be probably a hundred miles per hour. The wings are 

 beaten rapidly and make a whistling sound. As the bird rises from the water 

 it flies in an oblique direction for some distance, but the angle with the level of 

 the water is seldom very acute, either as the bird leaves or regains it. The 

 Mallard swims well and lightly, but it never dives in quest of food, only when 

 wounded or in playful chase of its mate or companions. For the most part this 

 species is a night feeder, and that is the time selected not only for its migrations, 

 but for its many wanderings across country in quest of fresh haunts. It may, 

 however, often be seen feeding during the day. The Mallard is almost omnivorous ; 

 to mention the various substances on which it has been proved to feed would be 

 to catalogue almost everything that a bird can eat. In its greedy quest this Duck 

 often wanders far from the water, visiting stubbles, the open parts of forests, 

 meadows, and even gardens. Its vegetable diet may be said to range from grain 

 and grass to acorns ; its animal diet from insects to fish. The note of the Mallard 

 is the all-familiar quack ; but in the pairing season both sexes utter sounds 

 impossible to express on paper. This Duck is remarkably wary and well able to 

 take care of itself in the British Island ; but in India it is said to be less wary and 

 suspicious, allowing a near approach. Many Mallards and other Ducks are 

 caught by the natives of India in a very ingenious manner. The fowler enters 

 the pool and covers his head with a gourd or basket, then carefully walks under 

 water towards the unsuspecting birds, the gourd apparently floating along the 

 surface. As soon as he reaches the Ducks they are adroitly pulled under one by 

 one, killed at once by a sharp twist of the neck, and slung into a cord worn round 



