ON THE REARING OF PHEASANTS BY HAND. 141 



fowl ; and certainly for the table, as I have ascer- 

 tained ill tlic Far West, no Avater-foAvl surpasses it 

 in flavour. The time when they are most amusing 

 is when they pair : this often takes place as soon as 

 the young male and female are full-grown ; and once 

 paired, in direct contradiction of Darwin — I mean 

 as to the Darwinian theor/j, not as to his own pro- 

 clivities or inclinations whatever they may be they 

 never desert their first love, but, in spite of other 

 attractions, year by year the pair continues to hold 

 good. 



The wood-drake is .the only duck that I am 

 aware of who picks up food and gives it to liis 

 mate from his bill ; and it is most interesting 

 to behold, to those amused with ornithology, 

 — and it ought to be to all men icho have paired^ 

 — how sedulously he attends on his mate : how he 

 protects her from and keeps her from contact with 

 the vulgar or designing l^rowd • swimming before 

 her and heading her off from '^ plumps," or utlier 

 fowl ; kissing her cheeks, and murmuring to her 

 of her better course in keeping to herself and his 

 devoted love. 



The common wild mallard ow^is no such love as 

 this; he pairs with one, or " bides," as the country 



