WILD DUCKS 167 



iron pans made to order, about 2 inches or more deep, 

 which he sinks in the ground and fills with water. Whether 

 he changes the ground during their growth he does not state, 

 but obviously it is desirable to do sp, certainly as often as 

 there is any suggestion of fouling and when the vegetation 

 is consumed. When two thirds grown, say eight weeks 

 old, they are put, a number of broods together, into an 

 enclosure at the corner of the pond which has been wired 

 off for them. Here they are kept till fully matured, when 

 they are let out into the pond with the older ducks. 



In the experience of Mr. Cox, the young ducks usually 

 breed when a year old, though in a few cases they wait two 

 years. He notes that the young redheads regularly breed 

 at the age of one year. 



Feeding of Young Ducks. Fortunately, with most species 

 of wild ducks the matter of the adequate feeding of the 

 young presents no especial difficulties. The young of all 

 our native Ana tinae, or river and pond ducks, except the wood 

 duck, are easily raised, which is also true of some of the 

 Fuligulinae, the sea or diving ducks namely, the redhead, 

 canvasback, and the scaups. The others require special 

 treatment. 



In my own experimenting with wild ducks in the West, 

 I have, by essentially the same feeding method, raised by 

 hand, from egg to maturity, young of the following species : 

 canvasback, redhead, lesser scaup, pintail, gadwall, shoveller, 

 blue- winged teal, green- winged teal, and mallard. The 

 baldpate, cinnamon teal, black and wood ducks come under 

 the same category, only I did not then have any. Following 

 is the method which I employed : 



Preliminaries. When the ducklings are a day old and 

 are removed to the coop or brooder, it is time for the first 

 feed. Fine grit, mixed with a little ground charcoal, should 



