Evening star., 1932-03-17
WILD DUCKS GOING FEMINIST.
SMITHSONIAN EXPERT REVEALS
Mothers of Various Species Lose Maternal
Instinct and Pass Young Birds
Off on Others.

Wild ducks appear to be going fem
mist.
Dr. Herbert Friedman, curator OF
birds of the Smithsonian Institution,
points out accommodating evidence that
far below the level Of consciousness
and activated by blind forces, strange
biological phenomenon is taking place
in this great family Of birds which is
equivalent to progressive deterlora-
ton of the maternal and home-making
instincts DR.. Friedmann's study has
just been published by the Smith
sonian.
The revolt Of the mother duck against
the submergence of the feminine Is
postulated by Dr. Friedman as pos
Sible explanation for some peculiar be-
havior reported by observers from
many places. Some ducks, according
to these observations, are poor incu-
bators. The mother soon gets tired
of sheltering her eggs and will leave
them on a sudden impulse. Sometimes
she avoids this duty altogether.
Dodge Responsibility.
Two well known North American
species, the red head and the canvas
back, DR.. Friedman says, build what
ornithologists call dumping nests
The mother bird can't escape egg-lay-
ing. but she avoids further response
bility by simply dumping her eggs,
without bothering to incubate them
Among the tree ducks the whole duty
of incubation is left to the male, while
the female goes about her own affairs
But, DR.. Friedman reports, one OF
the most Illuminating developments is
the habit of paraSitism. Ducks of nearly
every species will lay occasional eggs in
the nest of another bird, leaving the
unSuSpecting host mother to hatch the
baby and if she is willing. rear it. The
mother duck takes no further interest
in her offspring.
Recent reports, Dr. friedman says
show that one species of duck, the
black head duck of the Argentine Re
public, is almost entirely parasitic. The
female lays her eggs in the nests OF
swans, coots, ibises. and even hawks
Almost as bad an offender is the ruddy
duck of both North America and Eu
rope The mother of this species is not
exactly parasitic on other races of birds
but one female will try to trick another
of the same species to hatch her eggs
Abondon Their Eggs.
The females of this species will aban-
don their eggs at the slightest provoca-
ton After the young are Matched the
mothers take little interest in them,
but leave them to the care of the
fathers Neither the males nor females
like to build their own nests, but will
take possession, If possible of the
abandoned homes of other birds. When
a nest is constructed it is apt to be a
loosely thrown together structure
These ducks obviously are not home
loving birds.
Moreover, DR.. Alexander Wetmore as
sistant secretary of the Smithsonian
Institution, has recorded the obServa-
tion that the female ruddy ducks COM
monty mimic the males in display pos
lures and even make a rattling noise
with their bills against their cheeks.
This sound was made at times by fe-
males that apparently were minated.
This, DR.. Friedman says, may indicate
the appearance in this species of sort
of bachelor girl" type of duck who
prefers to lead her own life without the
encumbrance of home, husband or chill
dren.
When a species begins to show loss
of some of the inStictive behavior usu-
ally exhibited by the female" says DR..
Friedman, lone is led to wonder If 1t
may not be becoming what some have
called a male Species'-one in which
the females are more malelike and the
males normally masculine"
But, DR.. Friedman explains, such a
feminine movement could be possible
only under special circumstances which
would make it possible for the young to
be Matched. Otherwise it would mean
the extinction, or great diminution, of
the race. Apparently the female ducks
are able to have careers without drawing
this catastrophe on their species.
Apparently, he points out, this Is due