Waterfowl and Foxes. 59 



looked up and protected as advised for partridges 

 or pheasants. But the reader must remember 

 that a duck yields a more powerful scent, and the 

 risk of her detection by a fox is much greater. 

 Around a pond intended for duck a double row of 

 willows should be planted, and cut off at a height 

 of nine or ten feet ; if they are kept pollards the 

 crowns in a few years will become wide enough f 

 for a duck to nest therein, and the nests, if the i 

 trees do not lean, will be perfectly safe from \ 

 foxes. There is no better method than this of 

 providing safe nesting accommodation for wild 

 duck. 



Another plan to be recommended is the forma- 

 tion of a small island for nesting, as a fox rarely 

 cares to face a long swim even for a supper off 

 duck. The island need not be very big, as duck 

 are content to nest closely together, and it should 

 be planted with laurels and privet right to the 

 water's edge. 



Hand-reared wild duck are much easier than 

 pheasants to protect from foxes, and the reader 

 obliged to have the latter on his shooting is 

 advised to go in for the former birds. They are 

 not difficult or expensive to rear, and if properly 

 managed afford excellent sport, while a large 

 expanse of water is by no means necessary to their 



