DUCKS. 
191 
though this seems impracticable for our species, 
there are, nevertheless, many others of the wild sort, 
that not only roost perching, but rear their young in 
trees. Captain Cook was surprised to find the 
Whistling-Ducks doing so, near Endeavour River in 
New Holland ; and in various parts of the world, 
similar nests are found in these unexpected situa- 
tions. 
In America, the Anas s pons a , or Summer-Duck, 
builds in the hollows of trees, at a considerable height 
from the ground, from which the young ones, soon 
after they are hatched, descend and make the best 
of their way to the water. The Wood-Ducks, also 
an American species, are continually to be seen, 
during the breeding-season, flying between the upper 
parts of the Mississippi and the woods where they 
build. Our common Wild-Duck, in a similar 
manner (though according to the general habit of 
those birds whose young leave the nest as soon as 
hatched, she generally deposits her eggs upon the 
ground), at times departs from this practice, and 
follows the example of the above foreign species. 
In Sussex, a nest was found in an oak tree, five- 
and-twenty feet from the ground ; the old bird was 
sitting upon nine eggs, supported by some small 
twigs, laid crossways. 
In Derbyshire, a gentleman's game-keeper ob- 
served a Wild-Duck fly out of a large oak, in which 
the year preceding had been a Hawk's nest. On 
examination, she was found to have laid two eggs in 
the old nest, completely repaired. 
Another instance occurred at Madeley, in Stafford- 
shire. In this case, the Wild-Duck took possession 
