270 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



the mandibles of the females were dark brown, edged with 

 yellow. Two couples of these young birds paired off in the 

 following spring, and went to nest at the beginning of March, one 

 of the ducks dropping a couple of eggs before she made a nest, 

 and laid a complete clutch, which she was incubating when a 

 fox carried* her off. In autumn the Wild Duck bred with us 

 resort to our estuaries to feed in the 'dubs' and ' gutters' of 

 the salt marshes, their numbers being largely reinforced by im- 

 migrants, which are generally held to be rather smaller and 

 darker than th,e home-breed. 



Mallard, or ' Grey Duck,' as they are chiefly called in North 

 Cumberland, are more sought after by flight shooters than any 

 other species, partly from the frequency with which these birds 

 return to feed in favourite creeks and muddy bottoms, such as 

 that near ' the grey stone ' on Burgh marsh. They are also the 

 favourite game of punt gunners. More were shot by both 

 shoulder and shot guns during the winter 1890-91 than the 

 sportsmen of Lakeland had obtained for a good many seasons. 

 Mallard like to haunt fresh- water lakes by day, and to repair 

 to the sea marshes at night. There is a regular flight line, 

 adopted by this species, between Morecambe Bay and Winder- 

 mere. The birds feed on the coast chiefly and rest inland upon 

 the lake. Hearing that a large number of ducks had assembled 

 on the 'outdubs,' a continuation of Esthwaite Lake, Mr. 

 Archibald visited the spot on January 4, 1891, and saw about 

 a hundred and twenty Mallard there collected, in addition to 

 thirty Teal. Mr. Sharpe shot thirty- one Mallard in Morecambe 

 Bay one day in January, and had nearly as good bags some 

 other days. Mr. H. Threfall tells me that the Mallard is 

 always numerous in Morecambe Bay. Mr. Batson writes that 

 : the commonest fowl on all of these estuaries is the "grey" duck.' 



In East Westmorland Mallard are not so numerous as might 

 be expected, but during winter a few birds resort to Sunbiggin 

 Tarn and Great Rundle Tarn near Appleby. Many frequent 

 Hawswater, Ulleswater, and other lakes, as well as our rivers, 

 particularly the Eden. Many frequented the Eden near Lang- 

 wathby in the winter of 1890-91. It was rather sad to see the 

 half-starved birds sitting in bunches upon the edge of the ice. 



