ANAS'- BOS.CHAS, Lam.
rVNAS BOSCH
Mallard or Wild
On referring to tW
which plays a
distribution is u r
thoroughly dtmmmtvs
he settles down m
constituting no iuer^.
the New-Zealanders
derived from it ««#$
Plate, our own *ww-
progenitor. In Ew-
ranean and Black *
Don and the Volga
Formosa, and Jajx'«
northern portion i
few stragglers wwier
certainly does not
although its range jtf
From the twmj i
Ireland, and Scotia»«
annually sent to owe
the numbers taken •
Ashby dec«*. '
that the greatest p/m
Speaking a f t f a h
“ Marshy
principal place* o f f'
occasionally dev-. d
roots, worms,
water it rcacnes diw
the feet. Op dPN
under the sadac«-
up, it directs
murmur, and t
cry ‘ quack ; foi
satiated they oiSe» f<
heads bad*.'.?■/ > -in*
half flying, m
alarmed, wlwsdhsc
considerable hriffljh*,
flight their t
without i
When mcnkmtm ^
others, undergoe* -•
the reader will perceive figures of the male and female o f a species o f Duck
r*i ms the world; for although it does not inhabit every part of the globe, its
wfierc it is not indigenous it is one of those birds which, has become
accompanies the Caucasian in all his wanderings, and, wherever
I, f e s i i part and parcel of his surroundings, contributing to his enjoyment and
orf ttm o f his subsistence. Among the Hindoos, the Chinese, the Australians,
other nation*. either the pure bird itself or some o f the domestic varieties
¡dttiKiftt as constantly as the common fowl,—the Black Duck of the River
■ Htrds, and many other varieties all having the Anas bosduts as a common
Jwrributcfi universally, from the arctic, circle to the confines o f the Mediter-
nMn Britain to the most eastern parts o f Russia, being as common on the
rhe broads of Norfolk and Suffolk. In North Africa, India, China,
j«w»en>us in certain localities as with us. In America it occurs in the
* vW. latitude o f Hudson’s Bay to Mexico, but not further south, except the
¡M W :-v and then seen in Guatemala. In Australia and New Zealand it
■ neither have I seen examples from any o f the Polynesian islands,
feji of them.
for the breeding of this Duck in almost every part o f England,
Wr*. both of the old and young birds (or “ flappers ” as they are termed), are
>he agency o f the gunner and the decoy-man. With reference to
{ fuay mention that Mr. J. H. Gurney, juru, informs me that “ in the
f «wwt famous in Lincolnshire, he learns, from the 1 Stamford Mercury,’
lyflfe and 1867 was 4287.”
4 * . of the Mallard, Macgillivray says :—
,vf isAas, pools, and rivers, as well as brooks, rills, and ditches, are its
1 |t walks with ease, even runs with considerable speed, swims, and
»a o f food. Seeds o f gramine® and other plants, fleshy and fibrous
; - -j i: ties, and fishes are the principal objects o f its search. In shallow
,;s bill, keeping the hind part o f the body erect by a continued motion of
, high, with the tail considerably inclined upwards; when searching
• u.i-i on the water; and when paddling at the bottom, with its hind part
«Hk. th e male emits a low and rather soft cry, between a croak and a
clearer jabber; both, on being alarmed, and especially in flying off,
at* the female is much louder. When feeding they are silent; but when
ivcs. with various jabberings, swim about, approach each other, move their
‘ in the water, throwing it up over their backs, shoot along the surface,
«* short, are quite playful when in good humonr. On being surprised or
w ¿jig water, they spring up at once with a bound, rise obliquely to a
r gpeed, their hard-quilled wings whistling against the air. When in full
Like other Ducks they impel themselves by quickly repeated flaps,
In March they pair, and soon after disperse and seek a breeding-place.
the male takes his leave, though he keeps in the neighbourhood, and, joining
moult. The female sits very close, and rather than leave her charge will
ich quite near. Frequently on leaving the nest she covers it rudely with straw
purpose o f concealing the eggs. The young are hatched in four weeks, and,