408 
ANATTDiE. 
Linmeus, in his Tour in Lapland says,—“ A little fur- 
tber on, a couple of young owls were suspended on a 
tree; on my enquiring what these birds had done to be 
so served, the rower made me remark on the most lofty 
of the fir-trees concave cylinders of wood, closed at the 
top and bottom, and having an aperture on one side. 
These cylinders are placed on the highest part of the 
trees in order to tempt Wild Ducks to lay their eggs 
in them, and they are afterwards plundered by the 
country-people. In one of these nests a brood of young 
owls had been hatched instead of young ducks/' 
The nest of this species, when it has received the last 
finish to its interior, and contains the full quantity of 
down, is remarkable for the regularity and roundness of 
its form and the thick interior walls of soft white down; 
its outside is formed of dry grass; its diameter inside is a 
little more than six inches, and the lining of down nearly 
three inches thick. The Wild Duck usually lays from ten 
to twelve eggs, although as many as fifteen are said to have 
been taken from one nest. Mr. J. Hancock, who has found 
several of their nests, and has two in his collection pre¬ 
served with great care, tells me that they mostly cease to 
lay after the eleventh egg; each of these nests contains 
eleven eggs, and there seems scarcely room for more. 
