FAGGING IN THE BIRD WORLD 45 



seen or heard of this being done by ducks to 

 the tame swan ; but he is a very crusty- 

 tempered bird, and perhaps the wild swan 

 has more patience. One duck will even rob 

 another ; in America there is a diving species 

 of duck, the canvas-back, which is very like 

 the duck known over here as the pochard ; 

 it feeds much on a weed called wild celery, 

 which it gathers at the bottom, and this weed 

 is also liked by the widgeon of America, which, 

 like our widgeon, is not a diver. So it hangs 

 about round the canvas-back, and snatches 

 what it can when the diving-duck comes to 

 the top with his mouth full, thus making him 

 work for the two of them. 



There is even a bird which makes people 

 work for him, but in his case it is a fair 

 exchange, as he simply takes a " commission " 

 on what the man gets, and helps him to get 

 it. This is the honey-guide of Africa, which 

 is constantly being mentioned in books of 

 African travel. It is quite an ordinary little 

 bird to look at, like some brown finch or 

 sparrow, though it is really more nearly 

 related to the woodpecker, and has its toes 

 in two pairs like that bird, not three in front 



