ANATIDiE— THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 129 



al£|,rmed and made to fly, it utters a loud quack, the cry of the 

 female being the louder. It feeds silently; but after hunger is 

 appeased, it amuses itself with various jabberings, swims about, 

 moves its head backward and forward, throws the water over 

 its back, shoots along the surface, half flying, halt running, and 

 seems quite playful. If alarmed, it springs up at once with a 

 bound, rises obliquely to a considerable height, and ilies off with 

 great speed, the wings producing a whistling sound. It flies by 

 repeated flaps, without sailing or undulations ; and when in full 

 flight its speed is hardly less than a hundred miles in an hour. 



"The Mallard pairs early in the spring, and soon disperses, each 

 pair seeking its breeding-place, and nesting on the ground, in 

 the midst of marshes or among water plants, occasionally on 

 higher ground, but always in the vicinity of water. Its nest is 

 usually large, and rudely constructed of sedges and coarse 

 grasses, rarely lined with down or feathers. It has been known 

 in rare instances to nest in a tree; in such cases occupying the 

 deserted nest of a Hawk, Crow, or other large bird. The eggs, 

 usually six or eight in number, are pale dull green or greenish 

 white, and measure 2.25 inches by 1.60 inches. 



"The female alone incubates, the male leaving her to undergo 

 his annual moult. The female sits very closely, and will some- 

 times even allow herself to be taken on the nest, or permit the 

 eggs to be removed while she is sitting. When she leaves the 

 nest she conceals the eggs, with hay, down, or any convenient 

 material. The period of incubation is four weeks. The young, 

 when hatched, immediately follow their mother to the water, 

 where she attends them devotedly, aids them in procuring food, 

 and warns them of the approach of danger. While they are at- 

 tempting, to escape, she feigns lameness, to attract to herself the 

 attention of the enemy. The young are extremely active, dive 

 with surprising celerity, and remain under water with only the 

 bill above the surface. When the young are full grown, the male 

 rejoins the brood; and several families unite to form a small 

 flock." ( Water Birds of North America.) 



-17 



