98 The Natural History of British Game Birds 
and one male hybrid which had its liberty paired with a domestic fowl. The eggs were, 
as is usual in such cases, infertile. The same writer paired a ring-necked cock Pheasant 
with guinea-fowl and Yokohama hens, but the eggs were infertile. This, however, by 
no means proves that such a result would always occur. On the contrary, I think that 
any one who wishes to do so could hybridise the guinea-fowl and Pheasant. Mr. 
Walter Rothschild has a remarkable hybrid between a guinea-fowl male and a pea-hen, 
and this instance, with my specimen of grouse and bantam cross, show that very diverse 
species will sometimes mate successfully. Mr. G. W. Murdoch {Field, January 23, 1909) 
states that the practice of breeding Pheasant-barndoor fowl crosses was not a common 
one in the time of Queen Elizabeth as some writers appear to think was the case. 
I have noticed that when certain species are fairly closely allied in form, habits, and 
time, and season of reproduction, the crosses are not invariably infertile. In the case 
of surface-feeding ducks, for instance, the product at the first cross, if mated with the 
same species as one of the parts or another closely allied, and given surroundings that 
are eminently congenial 1 — and that is seldom the case— will pair again, and so on ad 
infinitum, until a bird can be reproduced that is a fourth or fifth hybrid, with mallard, 
pintail, widgeon, and gadwall blood in its veins. I possessed several such crosses 
which were presented to me by Sir Richard Graham, who has with great patience and 
skill made the breeding of surface-feeding ducks a speciality. Breeders of birds are 
often without observation and try to mate any two birds of different sexes, and to 
obtain crosses between different species without considering the temperaments and 
inclinations of the individual male and female. In some species almost any healthy 
male and female will breed together, but this is rather the exception than the rule. 
Most birds, except purely polygamous ones, fall in love with each other in just the 
same way as human beings do, and for each sex it is not a case of any female or male. 
They are distinctly selective. I have seen ten teal or ten mallard in pens separated by 
a wire enclosure, and have noticed that certain drakes will have nothing to do with 
the ducks in their own pen, but will fall desperately in love with some charmer in the 
next pen, being quite insensible to the advances of others which are contiguous and 
desire to make love to them. The two that have taken a fancy to each other will sit 
for hours side by side up against the wire, gazing upon each other and whispering 
" soft nothings." In such a case it is well to allow these natural instincts, and two 
such birds are almost certain to pair successfully. Sir Richard Graham fully under- 
stands this, and has in consequence been more successful than any one with these birds. 
Thus first crosses take a fancy to second crosses and so on, although they do not 
select a mate quite so freely as pure-bred birds that are allowed complete liberty. To 
be successful in crossing birds that are "shy" to breed with one another, but have 
already paired, it is necessary to give them a run and pond all to themselves. Many 
people who have numbers of these surface-feeding ducks and other birds have written 
to me asking why the birds, which in many cases have paired, will never make a nest 
or lay. The answer is that it is constant disturbance by other species that is the cause. 
A duck or game bird once harried from her retreat when she intends to nest will never 
return to it. She lives in too much fear. One sheldrake or Egyptian goose will 
upset a whole colony. 
1 This is essential. 
