HEROIC MOTHER DUCK !

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20372, 28 September 1929, Page 4 (Supplement)

HEROIC MOTHER DUCK !

Someone in Scotland saw .1 strange sight on one of the lochs of Argyllshire, recently. A wild duck was swimming proudly at the head of her seven young"ones, all in single file, when a black-back gull, known as tho sea-hawk, suddenly swooped down and made off with one of the ducklings. This it did five times. On ita sixth swoop ,it found no babies, for the remaining two wero tucked under their mother's wings but a found something it did not at all expect; it found a Tartar. For tho mother duck seized the gull by the neck, gave a twist to that neck, and hold tho gull's head under water until it was drowned. Then, with her (wo babies in her wake, the mother duck swam away, wagging her tail, as well she might.

A similar incident on a much less heroic scale happened by the lake in Richmond Park. A wild duck and her brood were picking up food thrown to them by passers-by when some sparrows dashed in and seized it. Two of them wero seized by the mother duck and dragged into tho lake, where she held them dowi and drowned them one by one. Soon afterwards a E>uppv came gambolling up, and tho resourceful mother had fresh tactics with which to meet this* new danger. With a great quacking she ran off, trailing one of her wings on the ground Thinking her wounded, tho puppy sprang after her, leaving the ducklings in safety. Tho mother duck then turned upon him and gave him somo sharp blows on tho nose which sent him scuttling back to his master.