398 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



Time during which the Mallard may be taken. — August 

 I St to March ist. 



Habits. — The Mallard is the commonest species of Duck in 

 the British Islands, and may be met with almost everywhere 

 according to season. Its usual haunts are secluded ponds, lakes, 

 reservoirs, brooks, slow-running rivers, marshy moors and commons, 

 and broads, mud-flats, salt marshes, drains and sluices. Except 

 in the extreme northern and colder portions of its range, the 

 Mallard is a resident, but its numbers are largely increased in our 

 islands during winter, arriving in October and November. The 

 same may be said of India, where, although enormous numbers 

 breed in Cashmere, it is a winter visitor to the rest of the country, 

 arriving at the end of October and leaving by the end of March 

 or early in April. Although not very gregarious in India, where 

 it is usually met with in parties of from three to ten, in other 

 parts of the world, as for instance in our islands, it may frequently 

 be observed in very large flocks, composed principally of migra- 

 tory individuals and often accompanied by Wigeon and Pintails. 

 The Mallard does not frequent deep water much, unless when 

 alarmed. It is fond of the shallows, where it can feed whilst 

 paddling round the margin, and where the water is not too deep 

 for it to reach the muddy bottom with its bill as it turns upside 

 down, keeping its hind quarters erect by incessant motion of the 

 feet as if in the act of swimming. Few birds fly more rapidly 

 than this species ; Macgillivray computed its flight at probably a 

 hundred miles per hour. The wings are beaten rapidly and 

 make a whisthng sound. As the bird rises from the water it flies 

 in an oblique direction for some distance, but the angle with the 

 level of the water is seldom very acute, either as the bird leaves or 

 regains it. The Mallard swims well and lightly, but it never dives 

 in quest of food, only when wounded or in playful chase of its 

 mate or companions. For the most part this species is a night 

 feeder, and that is the time selected not only for its migrations, 

 but for its many wanderings across country in quest of fresh 

 haunts. It may, however, often be seen feeding during the day. 

 The Mallard is almost omnivorous ; to mention the various 

 substances on which it has been proved to feed would be to 

 catalogue almost everything that a bird can eat. In its greedy quest 



