BRITISH BIRDS. 
329 
carrying or leading them from one pool to another 
as her fears or inclinations dired her ; and flie is 
known in this country to ufe the fame wily ftrata- 
gems to miflead the fportfman and his dog, as thofe 
before noticed refpeding the partridge* * 
Like the reft of the Duck tribes, the Mallards, in 
prodigious numbers, quit the north at the end of au- 
tumn, and migrating fouthward, arrive at the begins 
ning of winter in large flocks, and fpread themfelves 
over all the loughs and marfliy waftes in the BrL 
tifli ifles. They pair in the fpring, when the great- 
er part of them again retire northward to breed ; 
but many ftraggling pairs ftay with us : they, as 
well as preceding colonifts of their tribes, remain to 
rear their young, who become natives, and con- 
tinue with us throughout the year. 
Many and various are the contrivances which 
have been ufed, in both ancient and modern times^ 
to catch thefe wild, fliy, and wary birds, and from 
the avidity with which the fport is ftill followed, it 
is hardly neceflary to obferve how highly they are 
-efteemed, and what place they hold as a delica- 
cy on the table. To defcribe thefe various con- 
trivances would fwell out this part of their hiftory 
beyond its proper limits, — and Willoughby, Buf- 
fon. Pennant, Latham, and others, have left little 
new to add on this head. It will not be proper. 
VoL. 11. t 
* Vol. I. page 307. 
T t 
