Management of Fancy Ducks. 555 



anywhere apart from the other fowls and chickens, even on the lawn or croquet ground; and if they 

 are moved now and then, so as not to bleach the grass, no mark is made, and no harm done, while 

 the young birds enjoy that inestimable benefit, frcsli ground. They may have the same food as 

 young chickens, with the addition for delicate ducks of very small strips of raw meat, if worms and 

 insects are not very plentiful. A little canary-seed or greats in their water-pan, and also a supply 

 of duckweed {Laiina minor), is very good for them. 



" Most of the foreign ducks are hardy enough to stand our winters, especially if they have 

 some thick bushes or other cover to retire under ; but in severe frost, to be on the safe side, I 

 usually drive all my ducks into a cart-shed about twelve feet square. It is littered down for them 

 with straw or fern, and there they stay until the frost breaks up. 



" All wild ducks very soon get tame, if properly managed and a few simple rules attended 

 to. One of the most important of these is never to come upon wild or shy birds suddenly, so as to 

 take them by surprise, and especially if you are wearing clothes different to those in which they are 

 accustomed to see you ; always approach them slowly and quietly ; never let them think they are 

 being pursued. If, while walking through their domain, you cross their path, stop, and wait for 

 them to go by ; or if you cannot wait, turn back yourself, and go some other way. Never handle 

 them ; or if this cannot be avoided — as for instance in sending them to a show — at all events, let it 

 be done quietly and without noise. Nothing makes them so shy as being driven about or caught." 



As will be gathered from Mr. Serjeantson's remarks, it is by no means easy to persuade the 

 smaller fancy ducks to breed in confinement, and nearly all of them require their strong powers of 

 flight to be in some way restrained. By far the best way of effecting this latter object is to 

 "pinion" them, as it is called, or cut the flight-joint of the wing entirely away almost close to the 

 junction or knuckle ; but on this operation, and breeding and management generally, we have 

 again been favoured by Mr. Leno with some practical remarks, as follows : — 



" The breeding in confinement of Carolinas, Mandarins, Whistling Ducks, and other small 

 ornamental water-fowl, is much desired by amateurs, but I regret to say is not to be attained except 

 under very favourable circumstances. To give them every possible chance a nice piece of water is 

 required, and having plenty of cover, such as evergreens near the pond, so that they may be well 

 secluded. During the breeding season especial care is required to keep them as quiet as possible. 

 A stream of water with a good piece wired off, enclosing a nice warm sunny bank as well, is much 

 to be desired ; and the larger space that can be given the better. 



" I find the best food to be given to adult birds is split maize, barley, wheat, brank, hempseed, 

 and canary-seed, varying the feed occasionally, which should be placed in a shallow pan or trough, 

 adding some water to their corn, also a portion of duck-weed, which is one of the very best things 

 to keep them in health. No more corn than sufficient for a day should be given at one time, 

 otherwise, if left by them, it gets sour ; any that may be left from the day previous should be 

 cleared away, and may be given to common poultry. But it is recommended not to overfeed, or 

 they will not come to it with a relish ; overfeeding I believe to be the very worst thing in the 

 management of any kind of stock. 



"The eggs, if obtained, .should be placed under very careful hens. Silkies being the best of 

 mothers. When hatched and sufficiently nestled, the ducklings should be placed in a coop with 

 their foster-mother, facing the sun, being shaded with some boughs if very hot ; a guard, enclosing 

 several square feet of nice turf, must be kept round them for some time, to keep them \\ith the hen, 

 and when two or three weeks old give them, if possible, a larger enclosure. Commence to feed 

 them at first with a small quantity of chopped hard-boiled egg, mixed with a little barley and 

 oatmeal, and a little maize meal ; also some of ' Spratt's Poultry Food,' first soaked in hot or 



