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Practical Bird-Keeping.



ported they are very wild indeed, and if turned down on a pond

that is not well fenced in will probably disappear at once. But

they soon become fairly tame. Other beautiful species are the

Chiloe, Wigeon, Bahama Ducks, Chilian Pintail, Red-crested

Pochard, and several very beautiful Teal.


The Tree Ducks form a group by themselves, of which the

White-faced and Fulvous are perhaps the best known. They are

quite hardy and will do well if treated in the same way as the

other ducks, but they are somewhat quarrelsome. I have found,

however, that a pair or two kept with other ducks on a fair-sized

pond will do no harm.


Regarding the conditions that are necessary for the keep¬

ing of a collection of ornamental waterfowl. If a large natural

pond, fed by a stream, and surrounded with rushes and grass, is

available, no more suitable place could be found, especially if it

should contain an island or two, and be sheltered from the cold

winds by a belt of trees or rising ground. But such situations

are not always to be found, and it may be necessary to construct

an artificial pond such as those in the Zoological Gardens, where,

in spite of many drawbacks, a large collection of ornamental

waterfowl is maintained.


Space for the ducks to roam on grass is almost as necessary

as the pond itself, for many kinds of ducks are fond of grazing

like Geese, and roaming in search of worms after a shower of

rain. At nesting time also they like to choose their nesting

places, often at considerable distance from the water. So when

planning a place for waterfowl, the larger the area of ground

surrounding the pond the better will the collection thrive.


If the site is much exposed to cold winds some sort of

shelter should be provided in the form of rustic sheds, or shelters

made of rushes tied into bundles and propped up like wheat

shocks.


Rushes and other thick herbage should be encouraged for

shelter and nesting sites, but some ducks prefer to nest within

the shelter of a wooden box or kennel, and several of these

should be provided, the ground forming the bottom, and a hole

just large enough for a duck to enter forming the entrance.

Quite a number of species prefer to nest in boxes or logs at



