ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 159 



eggs are laid a plentiful lining of down from 

 the female's body is added. The eggs are from 

 ten to sixteen in number and pale greenish yellow 

 without markings. When the mother bird leaves 

 her nest she is careful to cover her eggs to 

 conceal them from the prying eyes of enemies. 

 The Wild Duck may be met with in many other 

 places, especially on the Broads ; and there are 

 few lakes that are not frequented by it at some 

 period of the year, as I have been careful to 

 remark in our rambles. As we are now with 

 the Wild Duck, it is advisable to note its habits 

 once for all. No Duck is more shy, none more 

 wary. During autumn and winter this bird is 

 gregarious and sociable, and at all seasons it 

 may repeatedly be seen in parties. These large 

 gatherings of Ducks are wariness personified, 

 and the least alarm sends them off into the centre 

 of the lake or flying away with arrow-like speed. 

 In autumn our resident Wild Ducks are largely 

 increased in numbers by birds from more northern 

 lands. This bird is as active at night as during 

 the day, sometimes more so. It is a voracious 

 feeder, and visits certain localities, often at night, 

 to satisfy its hunger, then frequenting streams, 

 pastures, and stubbles. It never dives to obtain 

 food, but obtains it in the shallows and round 

 the banks. It will eat almost anything grain, 

 buds and shoots of herbage, slugs, worms, and 

 the vast variety of insects by the waterside, 

 sifted out of the mud or lurking amongst the 

 vegetation, small fish and frogs, and even fruit. 

 The note of this bird the familiar quack is too 

 well known to need further description ; but 



