NOTE-BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 133 



and the obstacles which she opposes to their indomitable 



will. 



It was thought advisable in our poultry-yard to adopt 

 the plan of raising ducklings under a hen ; but in order 

 to lessen the amount of suffering, one particular hen was 

 selected for this office as long as she was fitted for the 

 purpose of incubation. The first year was, of course, a 

 sore trial; but experience, and that modification of reason 

 to which I have above alluded, had their effect ; and, in 

 the subsequent years, she would lead her palmipede 

 brood to the water, calmly see them launch out on its 

 surface, and remain quietly dusting herself on the dry 

 sunny bank with the utmost unconcern. She was a 

 buff-coloured hen of the Dorking breed, and more than 

 once brought out two broods of ducklings in the same 



year. 



Birds, in a domesticated or semi-domesticated state, 

 like other parents of a higher grade, appear to derive 

 pleasure from exhibiting their hopeful offspring so as to 

 attract observation and admiration. 



On the 10th of April last, in an early walk through 

 St. James's Park, I saw on the gravel by the water's edge 

 on the south side, two black swans, which had brought 

 over their two newly-hatched, grey, downy powder-puffs 

 of nestlings, with black bills and feet, from the island 

 where they had first seen the light, as if to show them in 

 their pride to the passers-by, of whom a little crowd had 

 collected round them, apparently to the great satisfaction 

 of the parents. To be sure, they had the lake to retreat 

 to, if any danger had threatened. After standing to be ad- 

 mired a short time, the whole party again took water and 

 rowed over to their island. In the afternoon, between 

 five and six, I saw the old birds close to the bank, but 

 without their young ones. They had hatched three ; but 

 the ' gander,' as the keeper somewhat irreverently called 

 the male swan, trod on one in the nest and killed it. I 



