198 THE MALLARD. 



duck, and the duck in the real wild plumage ; and 

 others of every intermediate colour ; now sport- 

 ing and diving before him, now retiring to the 

 stranger flocks at a distance, and now rising with 

 them in the air at the close of day, to pursue in 

 congregated numbers their journey through the 

 heavens, to those favourite places which afford them 

 a regular supply of food. 



In 1827, two males and three females made their 

 appearance here, and took up their permanent quar- 

 ters with the domestic ducks. They resembled 

 the original wild breed in every thing except in size. 

 You could barely perceive that they were a trifle 

 larger, and that was all. Hence I conclude that 

 there must have been a shade of the reclaimed duck 

 in their parentage. Though shy at first, in time 

 they became surprisingly tame. One of the ducks 

 singled out the cook as an object worthy of its 

 attention, and would steal into the kitchen whenever 

 an opportunity offered. The number is now reduced 

 to one, the other four having disappeared at intervals. 

 Fearing that this last remaining bird might give me 

 " the slip for ever," I have taken the precaution to 

 pinion him. The curtailing of his flight will probably 

 be the means of prolonging his existence ; for I 

 always conjectured that his companions had been 

 surprised and killed in their aberrations down the 

 neighbouring brooks, where protection was not ex- 

 tended to them. 



The wild ducks which frequent this place may be 

 observed to catch insects on the water in the day- 

 time : but they do not, in general, rove on land in 



