DUCKS. 195 



though this seems impracticable for our species, 

 there are, nevertheless, many others of the wild sort, 

 that not only roost perching, but rear their young 

 in trees. Captain Cook was surprised to find the 

 Whistling -Ducks doing so, near Endeavour River, in 

 New Holland ; and in various parts of the world, 

 similar nests are found in these unexpected situa- 

 tions. 



In America, the Anas sponsa, or Summer-Duck, 

 builds in the hollows of trees, at a considerable height 

 from the ground, from which the young ones, soon 

 after they are hatched, descend and make the best 

 of their way to the water. The Wood-Ducks, also 

 an American species, are continually to be seen, 

 during the breeding- season, flying between the upper 

 parts of the Mississippi and the woods where they 

 build. Our common Wild-Duck, in a similar 

 manner (though, according to the general habit of 

 those birds whose young leave the nest as soon as 

 hatched, she generally deposits her eggs upon the 

 ground), at times departs from this practice, and 

 follows the example of the above foreign species. 



In Sussex, a nest was found in an oak tree, five- 

 and-twenty feet from the ground ; the old bird was 

 sitting upon nine eggs, supported by some small 

 twigs, laid crossways. 



In Derbyshire, a gentleman's game-keeper ob- 

 served a Wild-Duck fly out of a large oak, in which 

 the year preceding had been a Hawk's nest. On 

 examination, she was found to have laid two eggs in 

 the old nest, completely repaired. 1 



Another instance occurred at Madeley, in Stafford- 

 shire. In this case, the Wild-Duck took possession 



o 2 



