GALLIFOEMBS. 391 



ducklings also appear in the same garb in both sexes. One 

 notices a similar change in many domestic ducks, especially 

 Eouens and others that assimilate to the wild ducks or their 

 ancestral plumage. Anas boschas is found all over the Northern 

 Hemisphere. In England it remains throughout the year ; but 

 in winter its numbers increase, owing to large enforcements 

 coming from the North as the cold approaches. The nests are 

 built in all manner of places — on the ground, amongst reeds, 

 grass, and on the top of trees. The young can feed at once, 

 but are unable to fly until nine or ten weeks old. The ducklings 

 feed upon tadpoles, water-insects,- and small grubs. The old 

 birds feed upon a variety of substances — water-plants, land- 

 plants, oats, and grain generally, fish and fish-spawn. It is 

 said that they sometimes do some harm in corn-fields, but the 

 damage must be comparatively slight. In very cold weather 

 they are found along the coast. The wild duck commences to 

 lay about March in the south of England, later as we proceed 

 northwards. The nest is on the ground generally, and is made 

 of grass lined with down ; in it are laid twelve greenish-grey 

 eggs. The mallard is monogamous in its wild state, but under 

 domestication our varieties which have sprung from it are 

 polygamous. 



The origin of our domestic breeds is no doubt correctly traced 

 back to the Anas boschas. Darwin says that, " with respect to 

 the origin of the domestic duck, I have considered the case well, 

 and am convinced that all breeds, including the black Labrador 

 and penguin ducks, are the descendants of the common wild 

 duck." The Eouen duck very nearly resembles the wild species, 

 only it is larger in form, and I have found that with " in-and-in 

 breeding" they soon become almost identical with the wild 

 species. 



8. Galliformes. 



The Easores (GALLiNiB) or " Sceatching Birds " are often 

 spoken of as gallinaceous birds. They are of considerable in- 



