126 THE MALLARD. 



" I have found the Mallard," says Audubon, " breeding on 

 large, prostrate and rotten logs, three feet above the ground, 

 and in the center of a canebrake, nearly a mile distant from 

 any water. Once I found a female leading her young 

 through the woods, and no doubt conducting them towards 

 the Ohio. When I first saw her she had already observed 

 me, and had squatted flat among the grass, with her brood 

 around her. As I moved onwards, she ruffled her feathers, 

 and hissed at me in the manner of a goose, while the little 

 ones scampered off in all directions. I had an excellent 

 dog, well instructed to catch young birds without injuring 

 them, and I ordered him to seek for them. On this the 

 mother took wing, and flew through the woods as if about 

 to fall down at every yard or so. She passed and repassed 

 over the dog, as if watching the success of his search; and 

 as one after another the ducklings were brought to me and 

 struggled in my bird-bag, the distressed parent came to the 

 ground near me, rolled and tumbled about, and so affected 

 me by her despair that I ordered my dog to lie down, 

 while, with a pleasure that can be felt only by those who 

 are parents themselves, I restored to her the innocent brood 

 and walked off. As I turned round to observe her, I really 

 thought I could perceive gratitude expressed in her eye; 

 and a happier moment I never felt while rambling in search 

 of knowledge through the woods." 



The voice of the Mallard, and its manner of feeding by 

 immersing its head and neck, or by tipping perpendicularly 

 half out and half under the water, are so well illustrated by 

 the domestic Duck as to need no explanation here. Suffice 

 it to say, this is one of those members of the animal creation 

 which have ministered incalculably to the comfort and sup- 

 port of man. 



