WILD DUCKS FOR SPORT AND PROFIT 21 



state, is a slightly polygamous bird. In pinioned confine- 

 ment it is absolutely polygamous, and one drake will 

 mate with four ducks/ or even five, when in full fertility. 

 Wild fowl live to a great age. In 1876 old Tom Tacey 

 showed me a duck in full male plumage — namely, with 

 green-purple head and curled tail feathers — which he had 

 bred thirty-five seasons before. As he said, she was sur- 

 rounded by descendants to the twenty-eighth generation, 

 but had given up all interest in breeding matters long ' 

 before. 'I only keep her 'cos she's the best 'coy duck I 

 have, and her young are the best breed I have.' So much 

 for pedigree. 



"Eighteen to twenty years is not an uncommon age for 

 old decoy fowl, but we are not speaking tonight of de- 

 coying. 



"Breeders for shooting should be careful to use only 

 young and specially fertile stock, selected annually for 

 flying qualities. Additions to the future breeding stock 

 should have been carefully chosen and pinioned before 

 the first battue. 



"When undisturbed, the wild duck naturally begins sit- 

 ting on her eggs about the beginning of April ; but nests 

 with eggs, or little ducklings, may be found every month 

 of the year. This, however, is only the case where the 

 birds are robbed again and again of their complement of 

 eggs, just when incubation is on the point of commenc- 

 ing. It is most rare for the wild duck, in a purely natural 

 state, to be truly double brooded, but I have even known 

 cases of this. Food must abound, and the nesting fowl 

 must have perfect security from the disturbance of their 

 own species, as well as from their natural enemies. Al- 

 most any situation is good enough for a wild duck's nest, 



