Apparently the Tufted Duck undergoes a change and also

the Eider Duck.


The Eong-tailed Duck f Harelda glacialis ), a scarce visitor

in adult dress to our southern shore, has, according to Dr. A. S.

Elliot, a very peculiar change, both sexes undergoing a complete

moult in spring before moving up to the Arctic Regions to breed.


A few more remarks on the Mallard, before I end. This

species is commonly said to be polygamous in captivity and

monogamous in a wild state. This statement, as far as it goes,

is true, but requires qualifying. It is certainly monogamous in a

wild state, but. as I saw stated somewhere, and know from my own

experience, the drake at the beginning of the season pays court

to several ducks, finally choosing his spouse from amongst them.

In captivity it is still, provided there be equal numbers of both

sexes, monogamous ; although if a drake be kept with three or

four ducks all the eggs will be found fertile.


The ducks themselves seem to have a good deal to do with

choosing their husbands; in any case, when once they are chosen,

they refuse to allow another bird to approach them, warning

the intruder off with a peculiar motion of the head and neck,

uttering at the same time a low guttural note.


I was lucky enough to witness the crisis in the pairing up

of two pairs of my Mallards this year, a perusal of which may

not prove uninteresting to my readers.


I have in my aviaries a small pond, about 12ft. by 10ft.,

having a wire netting partition across the centre to protect some

reeds ; on this pond among some Sea Gulls I keep two pairs of

Mallards. In December last, one of the ducks was sent away by

mistake, and by the end of January one of the drakes, whom for

simplicity we will call A, had paired; and the other, B, used to

wander about by himself, never, however, fighting with A. On

the 7th February, the other duck returned, and was at once

appropriated by A, This was apparently rather too much for

B’s feelings, for he now frequently tried to approach one of the

ducks ; but alas 1 , they would only shake their heads at him

and draw closer up to A, who would then advance towards

his rival. That was quite enough, and B in vulgar parlance

would ■“ take his hook.” About a week later, on the 15th

February, all the ducks were on the pond, A, with his two

fiancees on one side, and B alone on the other side of the wire

netting. A was very lively, swimming vigorously about with his

tail vibrating rapidly from side to side. Every now and then he

would rise up from the water, lower his head -till his beak



