THE COMMON WILD DUCK 185 



It was we are sorry to write this from tho- 

 roughly knowing the habits of these birds that the 

 fen-dwellers at one time were able to capture in 

 thousands all ducks that is, Mallards before the 

 fens, marshes, and flats were drained. The capture 

 of these birds for the markets provided the greater 

 number of the " fen-slodgers " with the means of 

 living. 



Wild Ducks do not like a drowned country, where 

 the flats are covered with water for months ; they 

 will not stay in it, at least not in a way that would 

 lead to their capture, because their nature is to 

 spatter and sift for their food in shallow places 

 where there is no need to dive for it. The 

 Wild Duck can dive well enough, but it does not 

 do this for a living ; I have watched the ducklings 

 diving in clear water, and a very pretty sight it is. 



This bird is a great favourite with shooters because 

 it can, as they term it, " be picked up," when the 

 weather is fairly hard, one here and a couple there, 

 ducks or drakes as the case may be ; but, from 

 some cause or other, those I have met with were 

 all drakes. Any warm spring in a hollow choked 

 up nearly by weeds, and sheltered by pollard 

 willows, could be reckoned on as a sure spot for a 

 find ; small numbers would come in off the tide to 

 feed in the day-time ; they had of course been there 

 before, and knew their ground. But they were very 

 wary, ears and eyes all on the alert, springing up 

 -when least expected, going straight for the opening 

 between the mill and the mill-house, where we dared 



