f.QHia -MILD DUCKS. M SHT TOf 
back, and under tlie wings, wliicli is asserted by tbe supporters of tbe 
lubrication theory, w ould be sufficient for the purpose foo which it is 
required. 
Another, and perhaps the best objection is that the bird woukl not 
be able to obtain sufficient oil from the gland to lubricate itself all 
over. The quantity required for this purpose vviU 'be very great, as 
birds (if they use it at all) use it continuallv. 
I think Mr. W. has sufficiently refuted the idea of their using oil 
at all, that they (as he asserts) are catching insects when they are 
seen rubbing their bills up and down their plumage, appears rathet 
doubtful. Perhaps some of ydur correspondents may be able to ad- 
vance something iu refutation or illusii'ation of this theory ; the sub- 
ject will bear and well deserves attention and discussion, and I shall 
be haippy itt>: ardsume it iu a future number. 3iiJ aioit abiJiB guoinsjj 
-yvo<j£ jfit in V'' I . -':! oitiM^ (07 //lotgiH fBiuiAJ^StrBsckiaKBa 
qxj allid lisdi ^nrddm vljnjBtaaoo liadl 1o floejjai sifj 8n ^gaJitoaiB baa 
mCii gavlaanisdj ■guiaBolo ylno H7n /fjfft indi ,iiedjc^\ lisdi awob bus 
-iB oJ blod tadlBt zi vjcrij^jj'p rnLg' ^^^saTtni ifoidw .ojS jgJoaeni adj 
^sinuo^-i jfVHUuj}/ .troi'ifjff .^t;',;::':. L ioif.' ,"?^ai( o.i ':t>fo'i1^ aao ^B Jqrnsl 
na^^fiVM^ JMSiTAIft?B lOf. {TH>K. IN,STiN«:T.i.QiR-'WHi)1(DJH®K8. bas 
•aoo 08 97B 8no8JJ9i e'V/ .ilA icrriii 1 jjjd' ,■ uoq bsljjaa !b b9i9l)X8«o» 
,^^ ,_ BY MR- PHILLIPS. . , . T ^ J^ • r 
iijodinf JjrtElia ^ilJ moit tin ■^nii jojvTJzo ;oii bluoo b'lid odj jedT 
Be jSfG engaged iii' improving the groiindfe'at Hedgetley Patk; 'Buck- 
inghamshire, during the last winter, I was desirous that the labour- 
ers should be kept employed in frosty weather, and therefore took 
the opportunity of collecting a quantity of large roots and stumps of 
trees, which had been grubbed up> at vai-ious times in tbe woods and 
hedge-rows ; these were dragged over the ice to an island in the cen- 
tre of the lake, for the purpose of fonning picturesque towers, arid 
ruins. During this process, I was much amused by the movemeini 
of a great number of wild ducks on the opposite side of the lake(| 
when about fifteen or twenty of these aquatic birds were constantly 
swimming, diving, and violentlj^ agitating the water, so as to pi-e- 
vent.its becoming congealed .by the frost, this they effectually pre- 
vented, although the ice on the other parts df the lake wets sufficiently 
strong to bear, not only the weight of the large stumps of trees, but 
also that of ten or twelve men, whose laboui-s were necessary to drag 
them to the. island. When these ducks became weary, and retire^ 
£«»i]((thei w-aiery, tlitfy were regularly relieved by abulu the Same mim- 
