Mallard or Wild Duck.

Anas boschas, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 46.

adunca, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 206.

—— fera, Leach, Syst. Cat. of Indig. Mamm. and Birds in Brit. Mus., p. 39.

archiboschas, subboschas, et conboschas, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., pp. 862, 864, 865, tab. xlii. fig. 2.

 

 

 

Ow referring to the opposite plate the reader will perceive figures of the male and female of aspecies of Duck
which plays a most important part in the world; for although it does not inhabit every part of the globe, its
distribution is very extensive, and where it is not indigenous it is one of those birds which has become
thoroughly domesticated, and, moreover, accompanies the Caucasian in all his wanderings, and, wherever
he settles down in a foreign land, forms part and parcel of his surroundings, contributing to his enjoyment and
constituting no inconsiderable portion of his subsistence. Among the Hindoos, the Chinese, the Australians,
the New-Zealanders, and many other nations, either the pure bird itself or some of the domestic varieties
derived from it may be seen almost as constantly as the common fow],—the Black Duck of the River
Plate, our own snowy Aylesbury birds, and many other varieties all having the Anas boschas as a common
progenitor. In Europe it is distributed universally, from the arctic circle to the confines of the Mediter-
ranean and Black Seas, and from Britain to the most eastern parts of Russia, being as common on the
Don and the Volga as it is on the broads of Norfolk and Suffolk. In North Africa, India, China,
Formosa, and Japan it is as numerous in certain localities as with us. In America it occurs in the
northern portion only, or from the latitude of Hudson’s Bay to Mexico, but not further south, except the
few stragglers which are said to be now and then seen in Guatemala. In Australia and New Zealand it
certainly does not naturally occur; neither have I seen examples from any of the Polynesian islands,
although its range may extend to some of them.

From the many favourable localities for the breeding of this Duck in almost every part of England,
Ireland, and Scotland vast numbers, both of the old and young birds (or “ flappers ” as they are termed), are
annually sent to our markets through the agency of the gunner and the decoy-man. With reference to
the numbers taken by the latter means, I may mention that Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., informs me that “in the
Ashby decoy, which was one of the most famous in Lincolnshire, he learns, from the ‘ Stamford Mercury,’
that the greatest number between 1833 and 1867 was 4287.”

Speaking of the habits, manners, &c. of the Mallard, Macgillivray says :—

‘“Marshy places, the margins of lakes, pools, and rivers, as well as brooks, rills, and ditches, are its
principal places of resort at all seasons. It walks with ease, even runs with considerable speed, swims, and
occasionally dives, though not in search of food. Seeds of gramineee and other plants, fleshy and fibrous
roots, worms, mollusca, insects, small reptiles, and fishes are the principal objects of its search. In shallow
water it reaches the bottom with its bill, keeping the hind part of the body erect by a continued motion of
the feet. On the water it sits rather high, with the tail considerably inclined upwards ; when searching
under the surface, it keeps the tail flat on the water ; and when paddling at the bottom, with its hind part
up, it directs the tail backwards. The male emits a low and rather soft cry, between a croak and a
murmur, and the female a louder and clearer jabber ; both, on being alarmed, and especially in flying off,
cry ‘quack ;’ but the quack of the female is much louder. When feeding they are silent; but when
satiated they often amuse themselves with various jabberings, swim about, approach each other, move their
heads backward and forward, ‘ duck’ in the water, throwing it up over their backs, shoot along the surface,
half flying, half ruuning, and, in short, are quite playful when in good humour. On being surprised or
alarmed, whether on shore or on the water, they spring up at once with a bound, rise obliquely to a
considerable height, and fly off with speed, their hard-quilled wings whistling against the air. When in full
flight their velocity is very great. Like other Ducks they impel themselves by quickly repeated flaps,
without sailings or undulations. In March they pair, and soon after disperse and seek a breeding-place.
When incubation commences, the male takes his leave, though he keeps in the neighbourhood, and, joining
others, undergoes his annual moult. The female sits very close, and rather than leave her charge will
often allow a person to approach quite near. Frequently on leaving the nest she covers it rudely with straw
and feathers, probably for the purpose of concealing the eggs. ‘The young are hatched in four weeks, and,

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