DUCK. 



is waterproof, and this quality is inherent in the 



333 



feathers, of their very nature, and not produced by 

 the application of the oil which is secreted by the 

 gland at the rump ; that the secretion of ihis gland is 

 used by birds in die " preening" or trimming of those 

 feathers, is certain ; but that it is the means by which 

 these are rendered waterproof, admits of considerable 

 doubt ; and the doubt is increased by the fact, that 

 the feathers on the head, and those other parts which 

 cannot be reached by the bill in preening, are just as 

 much waterproof as those which can be so reached. 

 It is therefore probable that the oil of the gland 

 answers the purpose of preventing the feathers from 

 adhering to the mandibles in the act of preening 

 rather than that of rendering- the feathers themselves 

 waterproof afterwards. This is a subject, however, 

 upon which information is still very much wanted, 

 though it is one which we might suppose is very open 

 to observation. 



This arises, in a great measure, from the seasonal 

 habits of the birds, and it is common to the whole of 

 them. Whether they leave the country or not 

 during the breeding time, they always disperse, and 

 live in retirement in the fens and marshes, and, 

 generally speaking, in situations as inaccessible as 

 possible. Their nests are usual!}' concealed in tall 

 herbage, though there are instances of the same 

 species building on trees at a considerable height 

 above the ground. It seems, indeed, to be conceal- 

 ment, rather than the close vicinity of the water, 

 which is their object at this time. In the American 

 marshes, to which vast numbers of these birds resort 

 when the season sets in, the nests are, we believe, 

 chiefly upon the stumps of trees, or upon bushes, as 

 the ground is generally flooded about the time that 

 the nesting commences ; and some specimens from 

 that part of the world, which were at the gardens of 

 the Zoological Society, did not make any attempt at 

 nest-building until the keepers fell upon the contriv- 

 ance of placing a stake in the pond, upon the top of 

 which a nest was soon formed. The whole race are, 

 indeed, exceedingly cunning birds when in a state of 

 wild nature, although, as we have said, they are so 

 easily tamed, and so capable of attachment. 



The great length of time which the feathers ol 

 flight require before they come to maturity, is another 

 means which prevents any of the duck tribe from 

 being seen ranging in the summer. They are prolific 

 birds, the eggs being from ten to eighteen. They 

 pair in spring ; the incubation lasts about thirty days, 

 and the young break the shell in the course of May, 

 sooner or later, according to the season and the 

 situation ; but, though the young are very active in 

 the water, and very fond of it from their very first 

 appearance, it is a long time before they become so 

 completely fledged as to be able to use their wings 

 Before this event, the old ones have mounted, anc 

 the whole may be said to be unfit for long flight 

 before the month of August, or even September 

 But the time which they spend in the fens am 

 marshy places is that at which such places abouiu 

 most in small animals, and when they are least coveret 

 with water. Thus the ducks fare plentifully ; anc 

 though the growth of their very close plumage 

 rather a severe operation, they are said to be ir 

 better condition while moulting than many other 

 birds are. In former times it was customary to 

 "drive" the young ducks, and also the old ones 

 while moulting, by a sort of general assemblage 



he people in the fen countries ; and this sport, if 

 sport it could be called, was often so successful as 

 that a thousand birds were taken in one day. This 

 was most practised in Lincolnshire, and the other 

 'en counties, and was performed with a large net ; 

 jut it was considered so destructive of the breeds of 

 the animals, that the protection of Parliament was 

 extended to the ducks, at least for the period between 

 the 1st of June and the 1st of October, which 

 ncludes all the rearing of the young birds, and the 

 recovery of their feathers by the old ones. The slow 

 growth of the first feathers of the wings is a very 

 certain means of distinguishing young birds from old 

 ones. If, upon pulling a feather, the extremity of 

 the pipe or barrel has blood in it, the bird is young ; 

 but if the end of the feather is dry, the bird is old, at 

 least, it is not a year's bird, and these are always the 

 most delicate, the rankness of flavour, and also the 

 toughness, increasing with the age of the birds. 



Ducks (we speak of them as in a state of nature 

 only) are not game, neither are they in themselves 

 property ; and when they are in the estuaries, or 

 otherwise on the broad waters, they areferte naturae, 

 and may be shot, or otherwise captured, by any one 

 who is afloat upon the water. If, however, they are 

 on any land which is property, they belong to the 

 proprietor while they remain there, arid the taking of 

 them in such a situation is a trespass. The places 

 where ducks haunt, when they are in season, are not, 

 however, the most inviting ones for genteel sportsmen, 

 and consequently trespass is not so much attended to- 

 as in most cases. 



When the ducks flock they come to the estuaries- 

 and the low flats, where a considerable extent of 

 sludgy ground is alternately covered and left by the 

 tide. Such places contain, during the winter months, 

 a vast quantity of animal matter, partly that which 

 has been washed down by the autumnal rains, which 

 sweep a vast quantity of little animals and animal 

 remains from the upper country, and partly also by 

 small aquatic animals, which resort thither for t he- 

 purpose of enjoying that warmer temperature which 

 the top of the brackish water is known to possess 

 over both the salt water of the sea and the fresh of 

 the river. The deposits which are thus formed, and 

 which are the grand attractions for the dabbling 

 birds, are always great in proportion to the richne.--* 

 of the country, and the gentleness of the slope over 

 which the water descends. The first of these furnishes 

 the supply, and the second brings it down more 

 gradually, but at the same time more copiously and 

 completely, than if the stream ran with more violence. 

 Rivers which flow from large lakes by short courses, 

 and also rivers which come dashing through recks, 

 never form estuaries very favourable for duck>. 

 Hence we have only to look at the map, and study 

 the general features of a country, in order to ascer- 

 tain whether its shores are or are not well adapted 

 for the winter resort of these birds. 



Now, when we look at the estuary of the Thames, 

 and also to many parts of the south coast of England, 

 we find that they have the duck characters in a very 

 eminent degree. None of the rivers come from lakes ; 

 their courses are, generally speaking, on a gentlo 

 slope with out-falls or interruptions ; the country 

 through which they come is rich, and there are vast 

 accumulations of mud. In consequence, the catching 

 of wild ducks, in which all the species are included, 

 though some of them are known by different names, 



