148 British Diving Ducks 
wherewith to surround the enclosure, but if foxes abound, as they do in most counties, wire- 
netting, 8 feet high, and turned outwards at the top, will not be found too high. Wire of 
any kind is always unsightly near a house, but it can often be taken back into woods and 
shrubberies where it will not be seen, whilst the birds will both look better and enjoy a 
greater range of grass if this can be done. It is very necessary that ducks, even diving 
ones, should have a good space of turf-rushes and rough places in which to rest, retreat, 
feed, and nest, and it is as important to their health as the water itself. All surface-feeders 
and many diving ducks eat quantities of young grass, and after rain like to explore the 
grass for slugs, worms, &c. It is also a good plan to throw lawn-mowings on the pond, as 
this fine grass is readily devoured. 
If the owner is anxious to breed ducks proper nesting places must be provided in the 
shape of reeds, bushes, willows, young spruces, rhododendrons, small bamboos, and 
common ling, whilst in the water natural food in the shape of duck-weed, water-cress, and 
other pond weeds, and calthas should be planted and wired off until they are established. 
When a good stock of these are once established they will provide continuous food for ducks 
as well as harbouring an abundance of insect and mollusc life which is their chief subsis- 
tence in summer. On all his ponds Mr. Wormald, who is very successful in breeding 
ducks, throws chopped grass twice a week and finds the birds eat it with avidity. In the 
winter chopped mangolds, turnips, grass, and potatoes are beneficial. For diving ducks 
there should be a supply of small fish in the pond if possible, and all the Mergansers should 
be kept apart, as they are such greedy and successful foragers that they will rapidly clear 
any small lake of fish. Animal food, consisting of fish, mussels, rabbit, and bullock's liver, 
should be given daily and chopped into small pieces. Mr. H. St. Quintin feeds his diving 
ducks on barley-meal, crissel (residue of meat extract), chopped fish, and salt. Even the 
true sea-ducks take to barley-meal in time and seem to thrive upon it. Mr. Moody, the 
keeper of the ducks at Scampston, gives the following receipt for preparing the food : 
" To about three pints of home-grown barley-meal (the coarsest husks sifted out) placed in the 
bottom of a large bowl, in the centre of which form a hollow and add one pint of Spratt's patent poultry meal 
(biscuit meal) and half this quantity of crissel, then, having previously sprinkled the whole with a table- 
spoonful of salt, pour boiling water in the middle sufficient to thoroughly soak and scald the Spratt's meal 
and crissel. Knead thoroughly with the hands, mixing and working in such of the barley-meal as 
remains dry, or adding more dry meal if necessary, until the whole is in a damp, crumbly ball, but not 
sticky or too dry. A little practice will soon determine the quantity of water required, and the proper 
consistency of the stuff appears to be when it will hold together in a thoroughly moistened but crumbly 
mass, so that pieces may be broken off almost without soiling the fingers." 
Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks, Scoters, &c., all dive for and eat this food and become fat. 
If the duck-fancier desires to breed different species, he should pay attention to the fact 
that peace of mind is very essential, and that both the surface-feeders and the diving species 
cannot bear to be disturbed when looking for their nesting sites. Sheld-Ducks and geese 
should be excluded and put in pens by themselves, as they, especially in summer, are noisy 
and quarrelsome in the mating season. Many of the ducks are bad mothers, and it is a 
good plan to take the first setting of eggs and hatch them in an incubator. For Sheld-Ducks 
holes must be provided, and for Golden-Eyes, Mandarins, and Carolinas artificial nesting 
boxes set up on poles, 4 to 6 feet above the ground, and connected with the earth or water 
