WILD DUCK. 269 



The Duck and Mallard begin to congregate in the decoy 

 soon after Midsummer, but these are the fowl that are 

 bred in the neighbourhood. About the first week in 

 September the Teal begin to come, and about the begin- 

 ning of October, if easterly winds prevail, there is generally 

 a flight of fowl from foreign countries, composed of Ducks, 

 Wigeon, Dunbirds, Teal, with a few of the Shoveler and 

 Pintail Ducks ; but the principal flight of foreign fowl 

 does not arrive till the weather becomes severe ; at that 

 time all sorts arrive, with the exception of the Garganey, 

 which we do not see before the spring of the year, and 

 then only for a short time previously to the different 

 descriptions of wild-fowl migrating to other countries.* 



The Wild Duck is an early breeder ; and Mr. Waterton 

 in his published essay on this species, considers that the 

 old birds remain pairs through the entire year ; and that 

 the young ones, which have been hatched in the preceding 

 spring, choose their mates long before they depart for the 

 Arctic regions in the following year. With his usual 

 felicity of expression this gentleman observes, ' I have a 

 favourite hollow oak tree on a steep hill, into which I can 

 retire to watch the movement of the pretty visiters. From 

 this I can often see a male and female on the water be- 

 neath me, nodding and bowing to each other with as much 

 ceremony as though they were swimming a minuet, if I 

 may use the term. Hence I conclude that there is mutual 

 love in the exhibition, and that a union is formed." 



The nest is composed of grass, intermixed and lined with 

 down, and is placed on the ground, sometimes near the 

 margin of rivers or lakes, at other times a considerable 



* The best description of the mode of forming a decoy, and the manner of 

 working it, that I am acquainted with, is in the RJV. Richard Lubbock's " Ob- 

 servations on the Fauna of Norfolk, and more particularly of the district of the 

 Broads." 1845. 



