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Mr. Philip Gosse,



I notice most ducks are very fond of water shrimps, and when

the birds are a month old and allowed deeper dishes, I give water

shrimps and duck weed in tin trays, about 4ft. by 2ft. and 3in. deep,

and the birds thrive.


Shell Ducks are fond of fish, and I used to give raw fish cut

in strips twice a week when they were feathering, though I do not

for a moment say it is necessary. Probably the most critical time

with young ducks—after once they have started to feed well—is

when they are feathering, as it is then that the greatest drain on

their system takes place. If they do not feather well, I have found

a little cod liver oil mixed with food a good thing.


If one gave all one’s personal attention to the duck rearing, I

think one would do better with incubators and foster mothers than

with hens, as the latter vary so : a restless hen kills half her ducks,

and many a hen takes a dislike to having a lot of wet ducklings

rushing in under her or standing on her back. No doubt cross-bred

Game-Silkie are the best mothers, but they do not cover many eggs.

Bantams are always good, but so small that they get out of the coop

bars, and the former objection applies still more to them.


After all, luck enters largely in the element of success, and

some of one’s friends find a certain species quite easy to rear while

one fails signally at it oneself, though successful with another which

others find hard.



A DAY IN A HAMPSHIRE GARDEN.


By Philip Gosse.


How often it happens that one goes forth after much pre¬

paration to watch or look for some bird or other and returns empty;

perhaps to find something of ornithological interest at one’s very

door step.


Being compelled to spend a day at home and to go no further

than the boundaries of my small garden, on a day in June, the

twenty-first to be concise, I could not help noticing how much that

was interesting was taking place near at hand.


At breakfast—and being one of the lazy sort of bird-watchers



