106 THE DUCK EGGS. 



day, the ice was broken for their convenience : be- 

 ing full of play, several were lost by diving under the 

 ice, and great uncertainty would have prevailed as 

 to their fate, but a further breach of the ice chanced 

 to be made, almost immediately beneath which they 

 were found drowned. 



The DUCK will cover from eleven to fifteen eggs : 

 her term of incubation THIRTY days. One DRAKE 

 to five ducks. They begin to lay in February, and 

 unless watched will lay abroad and conceal their 

 eggs. The duck, on leaving her nest, will cover the 

 eggs with leaves, or any thing within her reach, as 

 will the goose, sometimes ; the hen never. Our old 

 housewives had a notion that the variety of ducks 

 which have the bill bending upwards, lay a greater 

 number of eggs than common ; of which I can say 

 nothing from my own observation, but can remark, 

 that with ducks well fed, I never failed to have 

 plenty of eggs. A duck has been known to lay, in 

 the autumn, during forty-six nights successively, 

 after which she continued to lay every other night. 



The duck generally lays by night, or early in the 

 morning, seldom after ten o'clock, with the excep- 

 tion of chilling and comfortless weather, when she 

 will occasionally retain her egg until mid-day or af- 

 ternoon. In order to keep her within until she has 

 laid, some will EXAMINE HER ; but it is better avoided, 

 as her appearance and weight behind, or otherwise, 

 may be trusted to by constant observers. Accus- 

 tomed to a nest, she will not forsake it. 



It has been formerly directed, to give each duck 

 her own eggs, to which, however, much consequence 



