ioo My New Zealand Garden 



this work, but, as many have found before, a 

 mutual affection always exists between us, which 

 makes it very awkward and unpleasant when 

 killing time comes, for their deaths have been on 

 the tapis ever since they were hatched. They get 

 too heavy to go on the plants, nor do I think that 

 it improves things to be ferreted and joggled under 

 so often ; besides, they dirty the paths, so now 

 I take out a lantern some evenings and soon do 

 the work of a pair of ducks. I have found my 

 ducks with their crops taxed to their utmost with 

 green Gooseberries before breakfast, and it made 

 me quite envious of their iron constitutions, which 

 are able to defy such injudicious diet ; with the 

 omission in my case of not desiring sour Goose- 

 berries at such an hour, although we do enjoy 

 large ' crops ' of them in season and within 

 reason. These same ducks plundered the Straw- 

 berry-beds, and devoured everything that they 

 fancied, within their reach, although their for- 

 bidden luxuries were, of course, mixed with snails, 

 and, to my astonishment, these even when whole 

 and full grown were not beyond their capabilities. 



