WILD DUCKS 133 



projecting any moderate distance, say two feet. On top of 

 this the box should be nailed, with an entrance hole in one 

 end, and a boardwalk leading up to it from the water, with 

 small cleats nailed across it, to furnish an easy ascent. Some 

 locate the box on shore, in which case it is well to have the 

 board leading up from the water, though it may be back 

 from the shore, especially under trees. I advise, however, 

 placing it out in the water, on the principle that the birds 

 feel, and doubtless are, more safe there from vermin, partic- 

 ularly the common brown rat. On the same principle, for 

 most ducks a small island, with thick vegetation, is the most 

 attractive possible location, for there they feel safe. The 

 first set should be taken as soon as finished, and set under a 

 bantam or small hen. Then the duck will usually lay a 

 second, which she may be allowed to hatch if the pond is 

 small and free from vermin. These ducks are so docile that 

 they do not teach the young to be very wild. 



If young are allowed to fly, as described farther on, boxes 

 can be put up in trees, near the edge of groves or woods, 

 just back from the pond, either plain boxes or the hollow 

 log of the Von Berlepsch type. Even the pinioned birds 

 will breed in boxes low down in trees, as on sloping willow 

 trunks near the shore. A number of such are used by wood 

 ducks on William Rockefeller's estate. 



Boxes should have an opening of about 4 by 4^ inches, 

 which is the right size to admit the wood duck, but will keep 

 out larger kinds, especially the mallard. The hole should be 

 near the top of the front. A suitable size for the box is 

 about one foot square, with hinged lid which slopes a little 

 to shed rain. This model is employed successfully on the 

 Walcott estate. 



Black Duck. The black duck, sometimes also called 

 " black mallard" in distinction from the regular mallard, 



