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The wild duck differs, in many respects, from the tame ; and 

 in them there is still greater variety than among the domestic 

 kinds. Of the tame duck there are not less than ten different 

 sorts J and of the wild, Brisson reckons above twenty. The most 

 obvious distinction between wild and tame ducks is in the col- 

 our of their feet : those of the tame duck being yellow, those ol 

 the wild duck black. The difference between wild ducks among 

 each other, arises as well from their size as the nature of the 

 place they feed in.* Sea-ducks, which feed in salt-water, and 



* It is towards the middle of October that the wild ducks generally begin 

 to make their appearance among us, but only in small bands, which are iu a 

 little time followed by others more numerous. They are recog^nised by their 

 elevated flight, in inclined lines, or regular triangles. They are observed 

 on their arrival to fly incessantly from one pond and river to others, 'i'heir 

 movements are made more by night than by day. They feed, voyage, ar. 

 rive, and depart principally in the evening, and even at night, during which 

 the whizzing of their flight discovers their passage ; but the noise of their 

 wings ig greatest at the moment of their setting out. As long as the rigour 

 of the season does not deprive them of aquatic insects, of small fish, of frogs, 

 of the grains of seeds, and other marshy plants, which furnish them with 

 abundant food, they remain in rivers and large pieces of stagnant water • 

 but when these are frozen, they retire to the borders of woods to pick up 

 the acorns, or spread themselves in the fields to feed upon the green corn. 

 If the cold continues, and becomes too rigorous, they depart altogether, and 

 transport themselves into more temperate climates, returning only with the 

 thaw about the month of February. It is usually in the evening that they 

 are seen to repsiss with the winds from the south ; but the bands are less 

 numerous, because at this epoch they commence to pair. Each couple set 

 ofl' separately, remain isolated in the reeds and rushes the greater part of 

 the day, travel by night, never stop except when impeded by contrary 

 winds, and proceed to the northern regions to pass the summer. Some few 

 couples, however, remain with us, and nestle in marshy grounds. The fe- 

 male usually makes choice of a thick tuft of rushes, of the middle of which 

 she forms a nest by cutting and bending the stems. Such nests are, how- 

 ever, sometimes found in the midst of brushwood at some distance from the 

 water, and these birds have even been known to lay in the nests of others. 

 The eggs are from ten to fifteen, and sometimes even eighteen in number, 

 and of a greenish-white. The mother strips her breast to furnish the nest, 

 and to cover the eggs during her absence. .She never alights .at less than a 

 hundred paces from the nest, and takes a circuitous route to arrive there, 

 with her eyes constantly watching to see if there are any enemies in the 

 neighbourhood. Once fixed, however, on the eggs, even the approach of 

 man will not oblige her to quit them. The male remains at some distance 

 from his companion, ready to assist and defend her. The incub.ition liists 

 thirty days ; and as soon as the yoimg .ire disclosed, the mother conducts 

 them to the water; it is even said, that if they are at some distance from it, 

 the parent!) bring them there one by one with their bills. Tlw female ral. 

 Ues them in the evening, conceals them in reeds, and covers tliem with her 



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