224 FACT AGAIXttT FICTION. 



within my manors or in .some preserved })ortion of 

 the rivers. 



In 23assing, let me remark that the method of 

 the duck in takin^u' her l}rood, just out of the egg, 

 over a stretch of country of two miles or more, is 

 most sagacious and curious. She is a perfect mis- 

 tress of her geographical position, and has a 

 thorough knowledge of the country, generally 

 moving from the nest at night. She well knows in 

 what direction ditch, path, and cart-wheel tend, and 

 is sure to select the shortest road. Into the cart- 

 wheel track she gets, with her j^Tctty little dappled 

 brood clustered in a lively heap at her tail, and on 

 she waddles at a surprising pace, cleaving the air 

 before her as she would do the Avater, making a 

 vortex to suck the little fleet in the rear the more 

 closely to her, and trusting the side of the cart-rut 

 to keep them Avell together. 



Few men, perhaps, have seen this; but I have 

 seen it in a wild duck escaped from her coop, as 

 also in a duck with lier young hatched wild ; and 

 it is astonishing the pace that they go, as well as 

 the straight line that they ado2)t as the most con- 

 venient to take them to the desired water. 



One of the first things to do in preparing to 



