56 WILD LIFE: FURRED AND FEATHERED. 



coloured one, it is rich in its tones if you can observe it 

 closely. His legs are brightly coloured, a greenish yellow, 

 having a red band above the tarsal joint, and he has a scarlet 

 shield above the base of the bill. Together the pair will 

 pick and poke about, clucking the while, until they have 

 found a spot to their liking. 



In our southern counties the mallards, or common wild 

 ducks, will be hatching out their young. Their nests, made 

 of grass and lined with down, are usually near fresh water, 

 on the ground, but there is no rule as to this, for they may 

 be found in hedgerows, in cornfields, and even in the for- 

 saken nests of other birds up in the trees. Some have 

 nested in the high trees near the Round Pond in Kensing- 

 ton Gardens ; a very wise plan, as their eggs and young are 

 safe there from thieving bipeds and quadrupeds. The 

 fluffy little birds are soon able to take care of themselves, 

 and the mallards do not trouble at all to provide for them. 

 A friend of mine found one of their nests on the top of a 

 hayrick, and they will also build in the farmer's faggot 

 stacks. 



And now is the time to watch for the fussy little grebe 

 or dabchick, making arrangements for the family he intends 

 to bring out from his damp nest. It is his time for amusing 

 himself with his mate in and on the reedy stream or open 

 pond, and it will nest on some of our waters in the London 

 parks even. The dabchicks feed on small fish, insects, 

 and vegetable matter. Their note is whit-whit. Later on 

 the bird will be seen carrying its young on its back to and 

 from the nest, that is moored to some aquatic plants. 



Among the river tangle water-rails slip in and out, and 

 the male seems to be bolder at this time than is his wont ; 

 for he shows himself openly as he walks along the edges of 



