DUCKS. 193 



call troops of from thirty to forty; but, as the female 

 seldom hatches more than fourteen eggs, it is clear, that 

 each flock is formed by two or three broods. On their 

 being approached, the old ones fly away, and leave the 

 young to shift for themselves by diving. They may be 

 easily shot when they come up ; but you can seldom 

 kill more than one or two at a time, as they always 

 disperse before you can get very near them. 



These birds show but tame sport with a gun, and 

 are good for nothing when killed. But, in winter 

 nights, they often give you a fine shot on the mud, 

 though they are so white that you can seldom perceive 

 them, even afloat, without a good moon. Be prepared 

 to fire directly you rise; as they, being very quick- 

 sighted birds, will give you but little time to present 

 your gun. We had a great many Burrough ducks on 

 our coast last winter. They were the wildest of birds 

 till half starved by the freezing of the shellfish ; and 

 then they became the tamest of all wildfowl. 



You may keep young Burrough ducks for five or six 

 weeks, provided you give them crums of bread, arid 

 only a little water three times a day. But if you let 

 them get into the water, or even drink too muck, before 

 they are full-grown , and fit to be turned out on your 

 pond, you are almost sure to kill them. This appears 

 quite a paradox with birds that, in their wild state, are 

 always in the water ! But, such is the case, 



* COMMON WILD DUCK. Anas boschasLe canard sauvage. 



The male bird of which is called mallard, and the 

 young ones flappers. To find a brood of these, go, 

 about July, and hunt the rushes in the deepest and 



Q 



