The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-17
WILD DUCK is 4 CUTE MOTHER.
Queer Places Selected for Nesting
ana Are JenlOunly watched.

0ucer Places Selected for Nesting,
ana Are Jenlously Watched.
The wild duck Is apt to be rather quaint
ms mother She often seems 10 have the
most singular IDEA about sites appropriate
for the nursery.
IT Is practically an essential for the WE'LL
being OF her babies, says Country Life
that the nursery should be close by the
waters side, for the little ones like to take
to the water as soon as Matched. They
have small use for the land except to rest
on, and they are rather restless. The
water Is their element. and yet the old
mother duck will sometimes choose for
her nesting plac. spot remote by more
than a hundred yards from any water;
sometimes she will even choose the hum
bic but vet comfortable, height Of pol
larl willow, and how she conveys her
young brood from these situations to the
water is one OF those problems of natural
history which. like the cuckoos way OF
conveying her egg into a wren's nest, will
probably go on vexing till the end Of time.
There are theories in plenty but no GER
tainty. And often she Will make her nest
or lay her eggs, for her notions of nest
architecture nre primitive. in spot that
seems especially selected for its absence
OF cover. And vet no one can say that she
Is not an aHectionate, even an over
anxious mother. When you come near her.
meet and startle her or 1t she does not go
away, as wise woman would. steathily.
so as ncs to reveal to You its existence,
but with a fiutte- and commotion, and
often with ar1saffectaticn of a brok an wing
Gas II TO lead you on in pursuit OF her
rather than leave you looking for her. eggs.
that tells you as plainly az if she had
Quacked 1t out, II hare nest there;
please do not go looking for 1t, but come
and catch me; have broken wing"
She has charming idea OF human SIM
plicity.
She has only too many reasons for her
overanxiety. 1t is quite pitiful. She is a
pitiful object herself, as she goes about In
her lame and incompetent fashion. But
the real dangers that menace her young
family are many and terrible. On shore,
as soon as hatcbed. or even while still in
the shell. they are the most attractive
prey OF rats. both gray rats and water
voles, and no sooner do they take to the
water than hungry pike is looking to
gobble them up, or heron, ostensbly
bent on fishing, is not at all above skewer-
ing one OF them on his bayonet bealx if 1t
should come his way. So all these ade-
quate causes for most poignant anxiety
more than excuse Mother Duck for her
business. even II there be no excuse for
her habit Of pitching her nursery tent in
sites that really are not very eligible.
But this mother has chosen a fairly Sc
Guided spot. For the most part she will
be found sitting closely, If she be APP
preached with caution or else will move
just foot or SO from her nest and re-
main watching jealousy lest her eggs take
any harm. And close beside her in the
same covert is Mother Pheasant on her
nest, less suspicious and more trustfui. for
she is something of domesticated person,
having been brought up under barn door
hen, and SO learning the ways of civili-
zation. II the wild duck mother could
learn only portion of her trustfulness she
would be more contented person..