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THE WILD DUCK. 
it. Ducks, too, like Geese, have a strong sense of affection ; 
we cannot, indeed, produce instances so striking or so in- 
teresting as those related of the latter, hut the two following 
instances show a similar tendency towards animal, as well as 
human beings. 
A clergyman had a very fierce and noisy house-dog, within 
the length of whose chain it would have been dangerous 
for a stranger to have ventured ; hut notwithstanding his 
apparently savage disposition, a brood of Ducklings, reared 
in the yard in which he was kept, soon became so fond of 
him, that whenever, from his harking, they apprehended 
danger, they would rush towards him for protection, and 
seek shelter in his kennel. 
A farmer’s wife had a young Duck, which by some acci- 
dent was deprived of its companions, and from that moment 
seemed to concentrate all its affections on her. Wherever 
she moved, it followed her so closely that she was in constant 
fear of treading upon and crushing it to death. As it grew 
older, its affections seemed to strengthen rather than diminish ; 
it laid itself by the fire and basked on the hearth, and when 
noticed, seemed delighted; this continued till some other 
Ducks were procured, when, being constantly driven out of 
the house, it gradually associated itself with its more natural 
companions. 
Another case was that of a pair of Muscovy Ducks which 
were landed at Holyhead, from a Liverpool vessel returning 
from the coast of Africa. The male was conveyed to a 
gentleman’s house in the neighbourhood, and introduced to 
a flock of Ducks ; hut to them he manifested the greatest 
indifference, and was evidently pining at the loss of his mate, 
when one day she too was brought up and turned loose ; for 
a short time, being engaged at a distance, he did not see her ; 
hut, when, on turning his head accidentally, he caught a 
glimpse of his well-known companion, he rushed towards 
her with an earnestness and affection which quite touched 
those who witnessed the meeting. Nothing from that 
moment would induce him to quit her, and he manifested his 
