144 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



ducks to procure its food; it rather niters the water 

 through its bill, retaining the solid animal matter, 

 and allowing the rest to escape through two peculiar 

 processes with which it is fitted. It is rather a foul 

 feeder, swims low in the water, and is admirably 

 fitted for its special mode of life. 



The gadwall, which has been described as a 

 " thoroughbred " looking duck, is the rarest yet 

 mentioned. It may not unfrequently be passed 

 over, not only on account of its great shyness, but 

 because it so much resembles the common domestic 

 ducks. It is rare, too, as a breeding species, but an 

 experiment tried in Norfolk shows how easily it 

 may be acclimatised. Here, on the South Acre 

 Decoy, a pair of captured birds were pinioned and 

 turned down, until now, these having bred and 

 attracted others, it is computed that between 

 fourteen and fifteen hundred birds are on the water. 

 The gadwall affords admirable eating. 



The garganey, or summer teal, is the smallest of 

 the wild ducks with one exception. Unlike the rest, 

 it is not a winter visitant, but only comes to us in 

 early spring on its way northward, and again in 

 autumn on its southward journey. It is an active 

 species, swimming and flying quickly. On land it 

 feeds upon water- weeds, frogs and grain, and at sea 

 upon crustaceans and molluscs. A few of the migra- 

 tory birds are known to remain and nest in the reed 



