182 BREEDS. 



ofi' with them as soon as hatched to her favourite 

 element, generally leaving the half of her family 

 immersed, unable to extricate themselves; hence 

 the small broods of wild ducks generally seen — 

 the delicate ones were, in all likelihood, drowned 

 in their infancy. Ducks' eggs are better set 

 under a hen, who will rear her foster chicks most 

 tenderly; it is even advisable to give a valu- 

 able hen duck's eggs to bring out, as she will 

 have more liberty with them than with chickens, 

 and (not being obliged to cover the young flock), 

 will not have her plumage destroyed. 



Ducklings soon become independent of a 

 mother's care, and, if protected from rats, can 

 be cooped in numbers together, at night. 



Their food should consist at first of meal 

 made into a paste, and given frequently; later, 

 groats thrown into water. 



I find a square, flat, tin dish, the best vessel 

 for this purpose, as also an iron hopper, a cut of 

 which is appended, (fig. 8.) It is filled from the 

 top, and, being heavy, cannot be upset, or the 

 food wasted. 



Ducklings are sometimes affected by cramp; 



