198 
THE MALLARD. 
duck, and the duck in the real wild plumage ; and 
others of every intermediate colour ; now sporting 
and diving before them, now retiring to the stranger 
flocks at a distance, and now rising with them in 
the air at the close of day, to pursue in congregated 
numbers their journey through the heavens, to those 
favourite places which afford them a regular supply 
of food. 
In 1827, two males and three females made their 
appearance here, and took up their permanent quar- 
ters with the domestic ducks. They resembled the 
original wild breed in every thing except in size. 
You could barely perceive that they were a trifle 
larger, and that was all. Hence I conclude that 
there must have been a shade of the reclaimed duck 
in their parentage. Though shy at first, in time 
they became surprisingly tame. One of the ducks 
singled out the cook as an object worthy of its at- 
tention, and would steal into the kitchen whenever 
an opportunity oflered. The number is now reduced 
to one, the other four having disappeared at intervals. 
Fearing that this last remaining bird might give me 
" the slip for ever," I have taken the precaution to 
pinion him. The curtailing of his flight will pro- 
bably be the means of prolonging his existence ; for 
I always conjectured that his companions had been 
surprised and killed in their aberrations down the 
neighbouring brooks, where protection was not ex- 
tended to them. 
The wild ducks which frequent this place may bf 
observed to catch insects on the water in the day- 
time : but they do not, in general, rove on land in 
