260



Stray Notes on the Keeping of Waterfowl.



way. A Gadwall turned her out and pushed eggs to one side and

laid eight eggs, which I took. Two days later a Tufted was in and

now I note another Mandarin goes in too.


Moorhens should never be allowed on a pond where any

rarer sorts of Waterfowl are kept, they not only suck the eggs, but

will also kill small ducks when hatched. Last year a Moorhen sucked

a Baikal Teal’s nest for me and was shot with the air gun as it finished

an egg. On opening the bird, egg, etc., was visible, so no possible

doubt exists. I am told the Australian Water Bail is rather worse.


In the rearing of young ducks of Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall,

Shoveller, Mandarin, Tufted, Chiloe, etc., I find duck weed and a

few ants’ eggs (dried ones or fresh) of the greatest use, combined

with duck meal and fine egg. If young birds will not take on to

feed, I have found scalded Vermicelli, hung in strips on blades of

grass, or dropped on backs of ducklings to be a means of getting

them to feed. Probably the man who tries most little dodges, is

the most successful rearer of birds who are slow to start feeding.


Shell Ducks seem to thrive best on a good many worms or

strips of fish, as well as duck meal. Small chopped worms I have

found excellent too, and if placed in the water in shallow dishes or

tin lids, often help to bring on backward ducks.


Much can be done to increase the numbers of the more

uncommon nesting Ducks in England, such as Gadwall, Tufted,

Wigeon, Teal, by putting one’s surplus young birds, in September, on

suitable ponds or lakes, with the feathers of one wfing cut; they will

not be able to fly until the following July-August, or thereabouts,

so will probably have nested—or if a species which does not breed

the first year, then at any rate, they will have become used to the

place and probably stop about—and breed next season.


Wild fowl are decreasing all over the world and it behoves us

all to do our best to help to maintain a good stock in England.



