HABITS OF WILD DUCK. 217 



near the water, and there are several instances in which 

 tlieu- nests have been found in the trees. Mr. Tunstall 

 mentions a wild duck's nest being found at Etchingham 

 in Sussex upon an oak tree five and twenty feet from 

 the ground. The duck Avas sitting upon nine eggs, 

 which were supported by small twigs, laid cross wise. 

 One is quite puzzled to conceive how the old bird could 

 possibly contrive to take the young ones to the ground. 

 I suppose, like dogs and cats, who frequently carry 

 their young in their mouths, the ducks adopt the same 

 plan.* The gamekeepers of Mr. Eyre of Passop, Derby- 

 shire, in 1801 observed a wdld duck fly out of a large 

 oak, in which the year before a hawk had made its 

 nest. Upon examining the nest it was found in com- 

 plete repair, and in it the duck had recently laid two 



In Scotland St. John says '' that they mostly breed 

 about the most lonely lochs and pools in the hills. He 

 had seen the wild ducks during the breeding season very 

 far up among the hills. A few hatch and rear their 

 young about the rough ground and mosses near the sea ; 

 but these become more scarce every year. He men- 

 tions another example of a wild duck having made 

 her nest in an old pollard oak. His curiosity being 

 excited by seeing the bird fly out of the tree, he 



mers, they glide through the -n-ater withoiat almost any perceptible 

 motion, taking care to keep to the leeward of the wild fowl, and when 

 they approach rather near to them they stop their breath, as the sense 

 of smelling is so very acute in these birds. As soon as they get within 

 reach of a wild duck they take him gently by the legs pull him imder 

 water, and put him into the bag ; and in this singidar manner they con- 

 trive frequently to fill the bag without alarming the other wild fowls. 



* It has been said that when she breeds far from the water, the old 

 duck takes her young in her beak or between her legs to the water. 



