WILD DUCKS 163 



was impossible to get broody hens. In case, however, some 

 one should need the information, I will describe briefly the 

 procedure with brooders. For the first three or four days 

 I keep the temperature from 95 to 100. Then, till the 

 ducklings are about three weeks old, gradually reduce it to 

 about 85. For a week or two longer, or according to the 

 weather, 80 at night will be enough. In the daytime young 

 ducks after the first three weeks do not need much or any 

 artificial heat, unless during cold storms. When they are 

 about five weeks old, or even younger, if the climate is warm, 

 they can sleep in ordinary coops. On bright summer days 

 the danger is more from overheating. Be careful that the 

 brooders do not get too hot in the sun and smother the duck- 

 lings. Usually at such times it is best partly to raise the 

 covers. Brooder lamps should be trimmed and filled every 

 day with regularity, lest there be accidents by smoking or 

 going out at some critical time. 



Modified Methods. Experiments with various kinds of 

 wild ducks reveal the fact that something is lacking in at- 

 tempting to rear certain species entirely without access to 

 water. Young wood ducks, mandarins, golden-eyes, scoters, 

 and doubtless most of the sea or diving ducks, are hard to 

 bring through the early stages by this method. In my suc- 

 cessful experiments with rearing young canvasbacks I found 

 that when they began to feather, at the age of about one 

 month, their growth seemed to be retarded, and they did 

 better when I gave them even a pan of water. Scoter and 

 golden-eye ducklings were notably retarded in growth. For 

 these marine species, also for wood ducks and mandarins, 

 or any ducklings which do not appear to thrive, I would 

 recommend judicious and careful use of the following meth- 

 ods. Even with such ducklings as mallards, whenever their 

 plumage becomes fouled, it is well to let them bathe in 



