THE MALLARD.

Tue Mallard, or common wild Duck is
a bird of passage well known in every
part of the United States, where it is seen
in the spring and autumn. The Mallards
rest generally on the borders of rivers and
lakes, sometimes at a considerable dis-
tance from water, among the reeds or grass,
and often upon trees. For their ‘ests,
they scrape together a small quantity of
such dry weeds as happen to be conti-
euous. The female plucks the down from
her breast to line the nest, when the eggs
are ready for hatching. The ducklings
soon learn to swim and dive with the

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