AQUATIC FOWLS. 



283 



her eggs to remain, and, if insufficient in num- 

 ber, supply what is wanting by such as have been 

 last layed by the others. During the early 

 period of their incubation they are irregular in 

 their time of feeding, for where the hen is ac- 

 customed to make her daily appearance with 

 little variation from the same hour, the duck is 

 often clamorously demanding the supply of her 

 wants at daylight, and manifests the rapidity of 

 her digestion by another application in the after- 

 noon. During the last few days, however, they 

 are steadier, and frequently, on the eve of hatch- 

 ing, are unwilling to quit their nests at all. At 

 such times they should be well supplied with 

 food and water close at hand. But so cautious 

 in concealing her eggs, the duck becomes a sad 

 tell-tale of their existence, both by her voice 

 and appearance, when in search of food; the 

 quack on such occasions becomes louder and 

 more continuous, and the head is thrown back, 

 the bill being kept open, and her whole plumage 

 on end like that of a frizzled fowl. 



Cautions are often given as to the necessity 

 of watching the duck, and seeing to her return 

 to the nest in good season. Occasionally, 

 doubtless, as we find with our hens, there will 

 be a negligent discharge of this duty. But 

 such instances are the exceptions, and not the 

 rule, among our own birds ; and the warmth 

 retained by ducks' eggs under the covering pro- 

 vided by the mother while herself absent, is 

 very great. After an hour's absence, indeed, 

 in the case of one careless mother, such heat 

 was found to be retained as at once freed us 

 from all anxiety as to the ultimate result. 



" The duck," says Main, " is reproached with 

 letting her eggs get cold when she sits. Yet 

 Reaumur asserts he had a duck of the common 

 species, which appeared still more uneasy about 

 the cooling to which the eggs were going to be 

 exposed while she was taking her food than 

 hens appeared to be for theirs ; she only left the 

 aest once a day, toward eight or nine in the 

 morning; and before she left it, she covered 

 them over with a layer of straw, which she drew 

 from the body of the nest, to secure them from 

 the impression of the air. This layer, above an 

 inch thick, secured the eggs so well that it was 

 quite impossible to guess that they were there." 



To be sure, every duck of the same species is 

 far from giving the same proofs of so much 

 foresight, for the preservation of the warmth of 

 her eggs, as the one above alluded to. It often 

 happens that they let them cool. Besides, 

 hardly are the ducklings born when the mother 

 takes them to the water, where they dabble and 

 eat at first, and many of them perish if the 

 weather is cold. 



The period of incubation varies to a remark- 

 able degree. From twenty-eight to thirty days 

 is generally thus occupied. We would give 

 twenty-eight days as a mean for those that arc 

 placed under ducks, for under hens we havo 

 constantly had them out in twenty-six days; 

 but such birds generally proved delicate. Early 

 broods are generally the best, because the warmth 

 of summer helps much to bring them about ; the 

 cold always prevents the late broods from get- 

 ting strong, and giving as large ducks. 



For the foregoing reasons, it is well to set 

 hens on ducks' eggs ; being more assiduous than 

 ducks, these foster-mothers have more affection 

 for their young, will hatch and guard them with 

 more attention ; and as they are unable to ac- 

 company them on the water, for which ducks 

 show the greatest propensity, as soon as they 

 are excluded they follow the mother-lien on dry 

 land, and get a little hardy before they are al- 

 lowed to take the water without any guide. 



The duckling seldom requires assistance in 

 emerging from the shell ; and this is fortunate, 

 since it is a process of far greater hazard to re- 

 lieve them than to render the same aid to chick- 

 ens. The blood-vessels appear more liable to 

 be ruptured ; and we have few instances where 

 such operations have eventually proved success- 

 ful. 



If a duck has hatched the eggs, it is best to 

 confine her for a few days under a coop, th::f. 

 the young birds may not be enticed into tlus 

 pond, such early immersion being unquestion- 

 ably dangerous. The duck, too, is far fron 

 following the example of the hen in abstainiii;; 

 at this season from her usual excursions; fa- 

 tigue, therefore, even supposing they escape tho 

 other perils of such rambles, is most prejudicial 

 to the well-doing of the brood. 



The period of their confinement to the pen 



