260 WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA. 



had known birds succeed in hatching off clutches 

 of from two to ten, and had seen, during his long 

 experience, one nest containing fourteen and another 

 nineteen eggs, but in neither case were any duck- 

 lings brought off. There can be but little doubt 

 that in these last cases two or more females must 

 have contributed. I found two nests one day 

 within a foot of each other. One of them had 

 seven stale eggs in it covered with sodden down, 



WILD DUCK ON NEST. 



and the other the remaining shells of a successful 

 hatch off. 



Although I have found and examined a goodly 

 number of Eider Ducks' nests, I have never yet 

 met with one which could beat the Wild Duck at 

 lining one, in point of quantity of down employed. 

 The above illustration of a Wild Duck on her 

 nest was obtained close to London, and shows to 

 what a remarkable extent the bird must have 

 denuded her under-parts. 



When leaving the nest of her own accord, this 

 down is carefully folded over the eggs, and, whether 



