WILD DUCKS 141 



one should not become discouraged too soon. That hand- 

 reared ducks of practically all kinds will breed is proved by 

 experiments in England, as well as by those of Lockwood 

 and Cox; the natural food, the condition of the water, and 

 the climate being important factors. 



How Overcome. As a case of ducks breeding after years 

 of intermission, and of the means of bringing this about, the 

 experience of Dr. A. F. Warren, of Chicopee Falls, Massa- 

 chusetts, is instructive. Doctor Warren came into possession 

 of about five green- winged teals, which he kept in a city 

 backyard. To make proper quarters for them, he made a 

 cement pool, set out shrubbery and various plants around 

 the shore, and back of this allowed grass and weeds to grow 

 rank. Also he had a small shelter-house for winter. For 

 the first years there was no sign of breeding. Thinking that 

 animal food might start them laying, he began giving them a 

 considerable quantity of earthworms. In the fall he ac- 

 cumulated a quantity of these, kept them in earth in the 

 cellar, and fed them to the ducks during winter. In the 

 spring of 1913 a male and female paired and built a nest, but 

 did not lay. Next year this pair made nests and produced 

 several eggs which were fertile, but had shells too thin to 

 stand handling, owing to lack of lime constituents in their 

 food. The other female would probably have bred, but the 

 other drakes would not have her, one being vainly infatuated 

 with the mated female. Doctor Warren watches them for 

 hours and days from concealment, and he has material for a 

 wonderfully interesting monograph on the courtship and 

 mating habits of this species. Barring accidents, he will 

 probably next season breed and raise wild ducks in a tiny 

 city backyard, and that, too, adjoining a most noisy indus- 

 try, well calculated to terrify anything wild. 



Keeping Marine Ducks. Certain marine or fish-eating 



