BIRDS MET WITH BY THE WILDFOWLER 311 



majority of birds met with, however, in winter are immigrants 

 from the Continent, who leave us again early in the year. 



The adult Drake in full plumage is a beautiful bird. The 

 head and upper neck are metallic green ; lower neck, . breast, 

 and scapulars white ; back brown ; shoulders pale blue ; 

 greater wing-coverts white. The under parts are deep chest- 

 nut ; speculum green ; bill black ; legs orange. Length about 

 20 in. 



The Duck is dark brown, with light rufous buff edgings to 

 the feathers. Shoulders bluish. The young at first resemble 

 the Duck, and in November begin to assume the "Inter- 

 mediate " plumage described above, except that the breast 

 feathers are spotted and not barred. It does not always 

 assume its full plumage in the first year. 



MALLARD OR WILD DUCK 



Anas boschas {LinncBus) 



The Mallard is a resident species in the British Isles, and 

 is our commonest and most beautiful Duck. It is, perhaps, 

 not so abundant recently owing to the drainage of fen-lands ; 

 but this species still makes its home in most of the marshes 

 in our islands. 



It feeds chiefly by night on worms, aquatic insects, water 

 weeds, and grain, and prefers ditches overgrown with weeds 

 or shallow ponds to open stretches of deep water. It chooses 

 its nesting site in early spring, usually on the ground and at no 

 great distance from water, but occasionally it has been known 

 to nest in trees, faggots, stacks, and other elevated places. 



In the wild state the Mallard, as the male of this species is 

 called, is strictly monogamous, and during the whole of incuba- 

 tion he will remain near the nest to warn his mate of the 

 approach of danger, and accompany her when she comes off^ to 

 feed. When the young are hatched he retires to some secluded 



