some others, under a tame duck. Every time „ 

 he approached the pen the little things skulked 

 away and hid ; nor could they be induced to ^ tO/'Id "Duck 

 show themselves, although their tame com- 

 panions were feeding and running about, 

 quite contented. After two weeks, when he 

 thought them somewhat accustomed to their 

 surroundings, he let the whole brood go 

 down to the shore just below his house. 

 The moment they were free the wild birds 

 scurried away into the water grass, and no 

 amount of anxious quacking on the part of 

 the mother could bring them back into cap- 

 tivity. He never saw them again. 



This habit, which the young birds have, 

 of slculking away out of sight, is a measure 

 of protection that they practise constantly. 

 A brood may be seen on almost any secluded 

 pond or lake in New England, where the 

 birds come in the early spring to build their 

 nests. Watching from some hidden spot on 

 the shore, one sees them diving and swim- 

 ming about, hunting for food everywhere in 

 the greatest freedom. The next moment 

 they scatter and disappear, so suddenly that 



