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The old birds were remarkably tame, allowing him to approach within a few yards of them, then 

 hustling off the nest, and returning to it again as soon as he had withdrawn himself. He 

 remarked this very curious fact — that, during incubation, the Duck was accustomed on leaving 

 the nest to conceal the eggs by a covering of duck-weed taken dripping wet from the lake. He 

 observed this on several occasions ; and on examining the eggs afterwards he found that, although 

 quite wet, they were perfectly warm. As already mentioned, the eggs were duly hatched in spite 

 of these repeated wettings. 



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