138 
THE COMMON DUCK. 
the down from her breast to line the nest, and frequently 
covers the eggs when she leaves them. 
ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES. 
The Duck, like other birds whose young ones run as soon 
as they are hatched, generally deposits her eggs on the 
ground ; hut there are some exceptions to this rule. Mr. 
Selby says : “ Such an instance once occurred within my 
knowledge, and near my own residence, where a Wild Duck 
laid her eggs in the old nest of a crow, at least thirty feet 
from the ground. At this elevation she hatched her young ; 
and as none of them were found dead beneath the tree, it 
is presumed she carried them safely to the ground in her 
bill, a mode of conveyance known to be frequently adopted 
by the Eider Duck.” Montagu says, u We have been assured 
by a person of undoubted veracity that a half domesticated 
Duck made a nest in Rumford Tower, hatched her young, 
and brought them down in safety to a piece of water at a 
considerable distance. Others have been known to breed 
in trees ; and we recollect the nest of this bird being found 
in the head of an old pollard willow, impending the water, 
from whence the young might readily drop unhurt into their 
natural element. Mr. Tunstall mentions one, at Etching* 
ham, in Sussex, which was found sitting upon nine eggs, 
on an oak-tree, twenty-five feet from the ground : and the 
author of the ( Rural Sports* records an instance of one 
taking possession of the nest of a hawk in a large oak. To 
