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THE WILD DUCK OR MALLARD. 

 (Anas boscas.) 



THE nest of the Mallard is placed in the sedges of the 

 marsh, in cornfields, and strangely enough on willow 

 stumps and in large holes in trees. It is carelessly put 

 together, but is lined with soft downy feathers. It lays 

 ten or twelve strong yellowish-white eggs. 



The way in which a mother Duck, who has nested in 

 a tree hole rather high up, brings her young family to 

 the water is remarkable. As soon as they are dry 

 after hatching, she carries them one by one in her bill 

 down to the water's edge. Each duckling as it is set 

 down remains motionless as a stone on the ground, until 

 the mother has brought the last baby to join the others, 

 then the whole family begins to cackle and pipe, the 

 young ones follow their mother into the water, swimming 

 at once, and their duck life begins its ordinary course. 



Their usual diet consists of water plants, duckweed, 

 sundew, the green parts of the water-nut and the seeds 

 of water grasses. They let the water flow, filtering 

 through their beaks as beseems a well brought up duck, 

 and in this way allow many little water creatures, fish 

 spawn and such like, to enter their crops. But they 

 can also do mischief. At harvest time the duck visits 

 the cut corn lying on the ground and the sheaves, picks 

 out the corn and treads down the ears. Therefore and 

 -also because it is so good for the table it is worthy of 

 a well-aimed shot. 



It is still very common in Hungary. 



" Mallards manifest bird chivalry and courtesy to 

 perfection the drakes industriously finding mussels for 



