On the Rearing of Ducks for Shooting 143 
any numbers. This difficulty has been obviated to some extent by the creation of numerous 
little lakes of highly different character, for it is noticeable that Teal, Pintail, and Shovellers 
resort to a /'boggier" pond than Mallard, Wigeon preferring a somewhat open sheet of 
water. 
The following species are now naturalised at Netherby in the lakes by the Gap Burn, 
and the history of their commencement and upgrowth will be of interest to others wishing 
to experiment with them : 
Pintail. — Some pure birds were obtained from Halls of Sudbury, and twelve hybrid 
Mallard and Pintail were purchased in 1900. These hybrids, selecting the best coloured 
males, were recrossed with pure Pintails, and again recrossed, until what are to all appear- 
ances pure-bred Pintails have resulted. They have been found to be somewhat shy breeders, 
but a certain number now return regularly in autumn and spring. They are about fifty 
pairs at the present day, and none are killed. 
Teal. — Sir E. Grey and others interested in ducks have always found this species 
difficult to breed. After some failures, Sir Richard Graham started his stock by setting 
the eggs of wild birds. Even this was not very successful, so he purchased forty or fifty 
pairs every season, cut their wings, and allowed them freedom in the spring when their 
primaries had grown again. This was highly successful, as the birds do not migrate, but 
stay about the Moss and woods and breed freely. In 1898 there were at the most two 
hundred Teal on the Solway Moss Ponds, but in 1908 Sir Richard was able to capture in 
the traps eleven hundred, which would represent less than half the stock on the estate. 
They are now increasing rapidly. Teal wander both North and South ; a Ringed Drake, 
marked at Old Hall Marsh, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex, on February 14, 1910, was taken 
at Netherby the same year, and another of the same lot was captured on August 21, 19 10, 
on an island off the coast of Schleswig. 
Gad WALL. — In 1902 two pairs were bought from Halls. It was, however, three years 
before they commenced to breed. The eggs were at first placed under hens, and it was 
found that they were most difficult to rear, many going blind, a disease common to wild 
ducks reared under hens, and not found when the ducks rear their own young (the reason 
probably being the absence of oily secretions). Sir Richard accordingly stopped this 
method, and again tried the hybridising system by crossing Gadwall drakes with 
Common Wild Ducks, This was most successful, and the hybrids were found easy 
to rear. These crosses were again crossed and recrossed with Gadwall drakes. The 
process was slow, but in 1910 the birds, which are almost quite pure Gad walls, bred 
freely of themselves, and are now established. I saw about thirty on one lake, and the 
stock is said to be forty. 
Wigeon. — The Netherby stock commenced with three, presented by Mr. H. St. Quintin 
in 1903 (Mr. St. Quintin's birds originally came from Sir Ralph Payne-Gall wey, who was, 
I believe, the first to breed this species in confinement). Sir Richard Graham also pur- 
chased one pair of Wigeon from Halls, and all bred at once, the progeny being reared under 
hens. Now they nest freely in the rough grounds, and the stock numbers over a thousand. 
About four hundred are trapped and killed annually. 
American Wigeon. — This beautiful species, obtained from Jamrach (who imported 
the birds for the Duke of Bedford), has just been started, and has bred with Pintail and 
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