180 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vii 



THE MATERNAL INSTINCT OF DUCKS. 



To the Editors of British Birds. 





Sirs, — ^Mr. E. W. Hendy, in the August issue {antea, p. 92), notes 

 the case of an apparently sterile female Tufted Duck wishing to 

 share the duties of motherhood with a bird of the same species which 

 had eleven ducklings. 



In another member of the Anatidse, the Common Eider {Somateria 

 m. mollissima), I have observed a similar desire very markedly 

 evinced. In the locality where these observations were made, many 

 eggs of this species are taken by the inhabitants for cooking 

 purposes, and, as the larger gulls are very numerous indeed, no doubt 

 great numbers of eggs and young are appropriated by them. 

 Apparently as a result of being thus deprived of their eggs and yoimg, 

 though probably some are non-breeders, many ducks are to be 

 seen without progeny. 



On the sea I saw as many as twenty Eider Ducks accompanying 

 four ducklings, and on another occasion ten Ducks with three young. 

 On land I saw on one occasion a number of female Eiders standing 

 together, on going towards them n ine rose and flew eft, and then one 

 more which had a single duckling. Later the sanae day, I saw five 

 standing together, on going to the place I found another duck sitting 

 on three newly-hatched young which were still in the nest. In another 

 instance two Eider Ducks were noted standing within a few feet 

 of a bird covering three newly-hatched yotmg, in the nest. Also 

 an Eider was seen standing beside one that was incubating four 

 eggs, and another by a bird that was sitting on a single egg. 



Eric B. Dunlop. 



Troutbeck, Windermere. 



