202 THE MALLARD. 



cence of dress ; than which scarcely any thing 

 throughout the whole wild field of nature can be 

 seen more lovely, or better arranged to charm the 

 eye of man. This description of the change of 

 plumage in the mallard has been penned down with 

 great care. I enclosed two male birds in a coop* 

 from the middle of May to the middle of October, 

 and saw them every day during the whole of their 

 captivity. Perhaps the moulting in other indi- 

 viduals may vary a trifle with regard to time. Thus 

 we may say that once every year, for a very short 

 period, the drake goes, as it were, into an eclipse ; 

 so that, from the early part of the month of July, 

 to about the first week in August, neither in the 

 poultry-yards of civilised man, nor through the vast 

 expanse of Nature's wildest range, can there be 

 found a drake in that plumage which, at all other 

 seasons of the year, is so remarkably splendid and 

 diversified. 



Though I dislike the cold and dreary months of 

 winter as much as any man can well dislike them, 

 still I always feel sorry when the returning sun pre- 

 pares the way for the wildfowl to commence their 

 annual migratory journey into the unknown regions 

 of the north. Their flights through the heavens, and 

 their sportings on the pool, never fail to impart both 

 pleasure and instruction to me. When the time of 

 their departure comes, I bid my charming harmless 

 company farewell, and from my heart I wish them a 

 safe return. 



