M A L L A RD.
ANAS BOSCHAS.
Tnorc.ir seldom seen in SIIC-II immense (look* as the Wigoon, tin- Mallard is perhaps the best known of all
British Wildfowl. In every county throughout England arid Scotland, and in most or the surrounding islands,
this species breeds; and though their numbers have decreased of late years, there is still an abundant stock left.
I was doubtful for some lime whether Mallard or Wild Duck was the most suitable title for this species ;
hut as Yarrell, Seebohm, and several other authors use the former, it was adopted, Seehohm, in bis ' History of
British Birds,' when referring to the Mallard, relates many facts concerning the derivation of various names, and
I have made a short extract from his work, hearing on this subject:—
"The formation of language is a process of evolution, ami the meaning of words, when it has been
definitely settled by custom, must be accepted without a too close inquiry into their derivation. The word
horse is masculine, anil mare is feminine; but when we speak of twenty horses it is not. implied that there
were no mares among them, the word horse being applied by cu-toiu in a special generic sense to include both
sexes, but to exclude asses, cows, or any other quadruped. In precisely the same manner the word MaUaid is
used in a special specific sense to include both the male and female Wild Duck, to the exclusion of Shovellers,
I'intails, or any other species of bird. Mulorl is a I'rcneh word meaning drake, in eontrailistinetion to
Can/ml, which means duck. Possibly the word Mallard is a corruption of iiititr-rtiNiirtl; but it has IMVII used
for a century to designate the species of Duck which is most common in a domesticated stall-, and may be
applied to both male and female. In precisely the same way, when we speak of a Ueau-Goosc, we mean a
definite species of Goose, irresjieelive of sex. It would he absurdly pedantic to speak of a Hock composed of
Beau-Geese and Bean-Ganders."
While residing at Ferry gate, a farm-house near North Berwick in Baal Lothian, to acquire a knowledge of
agriculture, I soon ascertained that Wild Ducks were exceedingly abundant in that locality. The only means of
getting a shot, however, was by awaiting their arrival at flight-lime, the whole of tin' day being generally paraod
by the birds out on the open waters of the Firth, where they were utterly unapproachable. The potatoe-lields
were one of their favourite feeding-grounds, and here several shots were often obtained, the hungry Ducks
returning after being fired at, and others putting in an appearance till long after dark. On Gullane Links, a
few miles further west, pits had been dug out iu the sand round the pool- to which the birds resorted, and
sometimes very good sport was the result of a tisit to this spot. In the bard winter of 1803, when passing the
curling-pond at Dirlelon, I saw the marks on the ice where a Mallard drake and two ducks had re-ted
and been frozen ou the surface. It was evident that the drake and one duck hail been surprised and killed
while held captive, as feathers and blood were on the ice; probably a fo\ or a dog had Committed the
munler. One cold night iu December, the BUM winter, I was watching a frozen pool on Gullane Links at
llight-time, close to a running stream, which was kept open and likely to attract fowl. There was a small gap
in the hank, and having brought a rug, I sal down iu the- cxoamliou to await the course of events. But few