.CHAPTER 11. 



MALLARD DUCK. 



(Anas JBoschasJ) 



'Tis said, that when once a Mallard chooses her mate 

 And death, or accident, destroys her lover, 

 She mourns her loss, submits to fate. 

 But during that year, chooses no other. 



Not a bird in the United States is more familiarly- 

 known than the Mallard. It is seen throughout the 

 Western States and Territories, and the chief object of 

 pursuit in wild fowl shooting. Their habits, resorts and 

 the best methods to hunt them successfully are so fully 

 treated of in other parts of this volume, that it would 

 be like adding surplusage to an explanative treatise, 

 were I to refer to them very fully here. 



Their migration begins in early spring ; indeed, be- 

 fore spring has actually come, they wend their flight 



