COURSING, ETC. 283 



spring, and lay from twelve to sixteen eggs. 

 The duck commonly constructs her nest at 

 the edge of the water, upon some tuft of 

 rushes, amongst grass or furze, or large 

 swamps and lakes on the moors, and begins to 

 lay about the middle of March ; her incuba- 

 tion is about thirty days, and young ones are 

 most commonly hatched ia May The 

 growth of their wings is very slow, and they 

 attain more than half of their size before 

 they are able to fly, which happens about the 

 beginning of August, near three months after 

 the time of being hatched. 



The wild duck differs little in plumage 

 from the tame duck, but it is easily distin- 

 guished by its size, which is less ; the neck 

 being more slender, as also the foot smaller ; 

 the nails are more black, and above all, the 

 web of the foot, which is finer and softer to 

 touch. 



In the summer season, when it is known 

 that a team of young ducks are in a particu- 



