SEA-FO-^TL SHOOTING. 131 



vening, pursuing a regular course towards the cliff, on the sea- 

 oast, where they roost, and that in their flight they are often mis- 

 aken for Brent geese, and shot at as such by inexperienced 

 hooters. They are likewise sought after by adventurous persons, 

 rho are able to reach the middle of the rocky heights. Inattempt- 

 ag to shoot them in such positions, much circumspection is requi- 

 ite in secreting the sportsman from observation, so keen-sighted 

 re these birds, and so jealous of any object that bears even the 

 emblance of a weapon, that they immediately take the alarm at 

 he slightest display of an enemy, and thus elude the devices of 

 he best sportsman. The shooting of these birds is considered an 

 ixcellent exercise for young gunners. 



The TFilcl Duck {Anas Bochas, Linn.) — This is the parent of our 

 lomestic duck, and is a little less in size than it. The wild mallard, 

 tr_ drake bird, measures about twenty-three inches in length, and 

 hirty-five in breadth. It commonly weighs from tliirty-six to forty 

 )unces, the bill is of a yellovdsh hue, not very flat, about an inch 

 )road, and two and a half long, from the corners of the mouth to 

 he tip of the nail ; the head and upper half of the neck are of a 

 flossy, deep, changeable green, terminated in the middle of the 

 leck by a white collar, with which it is nearly encircled. The 

 ower portions of the neck, breast, and shoulders, are of a deep 

 inous chestnut, and the covering scapular feathers are of a kind of 

 ilvery white, while those underneath are rufous. Both are prettily 

 irossed vsdth waved threads of brown.^ The wing coverts are ash ; 

 he quills brown, and between these intervenes what is called the 

 wiuty-spot, in the duck tribe, which crosses the closed wing in a 

 ransverse, obHque direction; it is of a rich glossy purple, with 

 ' dolet or green reflections, and fringed by a double streak of white 

 m\ lilack. The beUy is of a pale gray, delicately pencilled, and 

 T' issed with numberless narrow-waved dusky lines, which, on the 

 idrs and long feathers that reach over the thighs, are more strongly 

 md distinctly marked. The upper and under tail coverts, the lower 

 )art of the back, and the rump, are black; the latter are glossed 

 vith green. The four middle tail feathers are hkewise black, with 

 RU'ple reflections, and, like those of the domestic drake, are stiffly 

 iurled upwards, the rest are sharp pointed, and fade off to the ex- 

 erior sides, from a brown to a dull white. Legs, toes, and webs, 

 ed. 



The plumage of the female, which is called a flapper, is very 

 iifferent from that of the male, and possesses few or none of its 

 )eauties, except the spot on his wings, AH the other parts are 

 )lain brown, marked with black. She makes her nest, lays from 

 ;en to sbiteen greenish-white eggs, and rears her young generally 

 n the most sequestered mosses or bogs, far from the haunts of 

 nen, and hidden from his sight among the reeds and rushes. To 

 ler youn^, helpless, unfledged family (and they are nearly three 

 nonths old before they can fly), she acts the part of a fond and 

 iutiful parent, carryiag or leading them from one pool to another. 



