THE WIGEON. 
179 
I am satisfied in my own mind, that the wigeon 
does not stay here to breed. All my endeavours to 
find its nest have hitherto been ineffectual ; nor can 
I recollect to have met with one well authenticated 
i account of the wigeon's eggs having ever been found 
in England. 
Formerly, I used to consider the wigeon as one 
of those migratory birds of which little could ever 
be known, as it merely came here to spend the winter 
months amongst us, in order to avoid the dismal 
tempests which were raging in its own native land. 
Under this erroneous impression, I always availed 
myself of every opportunity to get a shot at the 
wigeons. Of course, this made them exceedingly 
shy and wary ; for persecution soon shows to birds 
the danger of placing themselves within the reach of 
man. Hence their visits here were few and transi- 
tory ; and sometimes weeks elapsed without my see- 
ing a single wigeon on the water. 
Since I have shut the temple of Janus, and pro- 
claimed undisturbed repose to those of the feathered 
race which come to seek for shelter here, the wigeons 
are in great abundance ; and, from the time of their 
arrival to the period of their departure, they may be 
found here every day, whether in a frosty, a snowy, 
or an open season. A stranger, on observing them, 
would hardly suppose that they are wild fowl ; for 
he will often see nearly one hundred of them con- 
gregating with the tame ducks, not sixty yards from 
the kitchen windows. Protection has restored to 
them their innate familiarity ; and now I am enabled 
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