BIRDS 269 



such times appear on sand beds which at other times they rarely 

 visit. Many of the young birds leave our coast in autumn. 

 Stragglers have been shot as far inland as Penrith, generally in 

 immature plumage. 



MALLARD. 



Anas boscas, L. 



The Wild Duck breeds freely on our Lakeland mosses, but 

 more numerously in the vicinity of Bassenthwaite, Derwent- 

 water, Esthwaite, and such other sheets of inland waters as 

 provide suitable cover for nesting purposes. Wild Duck pair 

 early, often in January, and those which remain to breed with 

 us nest from March to July. While the females are sitting the 

 males congregate together. If a female loses her eggs she again 

 seeks the companionship of the male, until such time as she 

 begins to incubate a second clutch. I have never observed a 

 Mallard drake taking any charge of the young, which appear to 

 be protected by the female exclusively. It is pretty to see the 

 proud solicitude which a female Wild Duck displays towards 

 her brood even when they have attained nearly full growth and 

 are capable of taking care of themselves ; remaining a couple of 

 yards from the young birds, with neck erect, prepared to give a 

 signal for instant flight should an enemy appear. The young 

 birds live in a family party for some weeks at least, nor do they 

 separate until they have acquired vigorous powers of flight. I 

 have examined some young Wild Duck which had been caught 

 in the ditches near Allonby as flappers, and found no difficulty 

 in distinguishing the males by their superior size, longer bodies, 

 and smarter appearance. Half-bred birds are often kept by the 

 farmers, but require to be pinioned if they are to stay at home. 

 The old drakes don eclipse dress in May, and only resume full 

 plumage in September and October, rather later than the young 

 drakes. Mr. J. N. Robinson showed me a brood of eleven 

 young Wild Duck on July 8, 1890; the drakes were already 

 commencing to sport the curled tail-feathers, and showed a few 

 white feathers upon the neck, forming an incipient ring. The 

 bills of these young drakes were already becoming green, while 



