292 BIRD BEHAVIOUR 



In watching waterfowl I have had similar experi- 

 ences ; at the time of writing the waterfowl at St. 

 James's Park were restricted to a comparatively 

 small area of water at the east end of the park, the 

 rest of the pond being .drained, and the young 

 Mallard ducklings have been coming close up to 

 the path to be fed. An old Duck, watching her 

 brood with anxious quacks, gave an extra loud one 

 as a Canadian Goose came too near them for her 

 satisfaction, and the ducklings bolted helter-skelter 

 into the pond. Now it was perfectly obvious that 

 all the old Duck meant to say was " Keep away 

 from that Goose " a few feet's retirement would 

 have been sufficient ; but all her vocabulary allowed 

 was " danger," and the ducklings promptly acted 

 on the word. Here I could understand the Duck, 

 but the ducklings could not ; in another case a 

 drake and I were both at a loss. A pair of Man- 

 darin Ducks were, at a dealer's, confined in a 

 hutch with perches, and were roosting on the top 

 one. The duck started pulling at the drake's 

 crest until she fairly upset him, and he fell to the 

 floor ; but when he mounted again she let him 

 alone, being now next the wall, and it became 

 obvious to me that she wanted the inside berth, 

 was not active enough to jump over him, and 

 could not explain to him any more than to me 

 that she wanted him to get out of her way. 



