The Mallard or Wild Duck 



curved arms known as " pipes " running up at the different 

 corners. These pipes are covered with netting, and end 

 in a small bag net. The Duck are enticed up by tame 

 birds and by means of a red dog that they follow out of 

 curiosity. When some way up the pipe they see behind 

 them the decoyman, who has hitherto been concealed by an 

 ingenious arrangement of reed-screens, and rather than turn 

 back and face him, they rise and fly up the pipe into the 

 net. The whole operation must be carried out in silence 

 so as not to scare the other birds on the pond, who remain 

 in complete ignorance of their comrades' fate. Absolute 

 quiet and plenty of food are the essentials for the successful 

 working of a decoy. They are still used in Holland, where 

 they form a considerable source of profit to their owners; 

 their number is limited, and a licence has to be paid for each 

 decoy. 



After the brood can fly the Duck loses her primaries and 

 becomes incapable of flight for a short time, but as soon as 

 her quills are grown the whole family move off to join the 

 flocks, which are now rapidly forming. Large numbers visit 

 us yearly from abroad, and a spell of severe weather in mid- 

 winter still further increases their numbers. 



The male has a glossy green head and neck, the latter 

 being encircled by a narrow white ring; rump and tail 

 coverts glossy greenish black, the four central coverts 

 upturned ; chest and breast deep chestnut ; rest of under 

 parts pale grey, vermiculated with black; bill greenish 

 yellow ; legs orange. The Duck is dark brown, the feathers 

 having paler edgings. The young resemble the female, but 

 the males have assumed their full dress by October. The 



