NATATOKES. 227 



greater number are winter visitants, a few pairs only 

 remaining throughout the summer to breed in fa- 

 vourable localities. The arrival of the winter visitants 

 generally commences in October, and, as the season 

 advances, especially if there be much cold and ice, 

 a gradual increase in the numbers takes place, which 

 reaches its maximum height in February, after which 

 time a perceptible decrease is observed, and by the 

 end of March none are to be seen, except the few 

 scattered pairs which meditate nesting.* 



" Wild Ducks rarely collect into dense flocks, like 

 Brent Geese or Widgeon ; they are more scattered, 

 and hence do not offer such tempting shots. They, 

 and Teal also, differ from those birds and from other 

 wild fowl by suddenly bounding from the water 

 right into the air, without giving any warning 

 to the shooter ; whereas the others swim a little 

 off, or give some indication that they are about to 

 rise." f 



* While I am writing (20th April, 1866), a Wild Duck is 

 sitting upon twelve eggs about a mile from hence. Yester- 

 day, April 19th, she had left the nest, and was swimming at 

 some little distance from it, when I came suddenly upon 

 her. Instead of taking wing, she only swam slowly away 

 from me, and seemed in no way alarmed at a setter who 

 stood eyeing her from the bank. On my speaking to the 

 dog, she rose off the water, and, after circling round two or 

 three times, went off in the direction of the nest. 



f Thompson's 'Natural History of Ireland/ vol. iii. p. 83. 



