THE MALLARD. 197 
and flock together, and are both subject to the 
double annual moulting ; of which moreanon. The 
domesticated duck only loses its inclination for. 
flying, when it is bred and reared far from any large 
sheet of water; but where an extent of water is at 
hand, this bird will be observed to assume more 
brisk and active habits. It will indulge in long and 
lofty flights, and frequently take off with the con- 
gregated wild-fowl in their nocturnal excursions. 
I have the finest possible opportunity of looking 
into the habits of the mallard at any hour of the 
day, from the rising to the setting sun; for here 
this bird, and large flocks of its congeners, are per- 
petual visitors during the winter months. They 
fear no danger ; and they seem to know that in this 
populous neighbourhood there is one retreat left to 
which they can retire, and in which they can find 
a shelter from the persecutions which are poured 
down so thick upon them in other places, by man, 
their ever watchful and insatiate pursuer. 
Some six years ago, I put a number of wild ducks’ 
eggs to be hatched by a domestic duck. ‘The pro- 
duce of these eggs having intermixed with the 
common barn-door breed of ducks, there has been 
produced by this union such an endless variety of 
colouring, that it is now impossible to trace the 
identical origin of the birds with any degree of cer- 
tainty. Half wild, half tame, they will come to the 
windows to be fed; but still they have a wariness 
about them quite remarkable; and they will often 
startle and take wing at very trivial causes of alarm. 
In this group the naturalist may see the milk-white 
0 3 
