23 AUGUST 1957, Page 26

WEATHER FOR DUCKS A remark heard so often in a

typical English summer, 'Fine weather for ducks,' is perhaps a com- ment on the habit of keeping ducks in places where they only get into their natural element when it rains. For every duck that daily swims in a pond or stream there must be a thousand that never wet a paddle except in a downpour. I thought about this the other day when driving in torrential rain. Water that should have been running in a culvert had risen to stream across the road, carrying with it a great quantity of soil and debris. On the other side of the road' it apparently found its proper channel, but where it flooded the road it made a playground for a company of escapee ducks. Breasting the current and delving for titbits, they were evidently determined not to miss a moment's enjoyment, for they ignored my approach and continued to block. the way. Not until I threatened them with death did they take to the hedgeside at a fast waddle, flapping and complaining, but in my mirror I saw that they immediately rushed back into the water again with wings spread and beaks open. Somehow I wasn't surprised, on reaching my destination, to be greeted with the stock remark. It was still raining as I shook the water from my hat and agreed that it was fine Weather for ducks, and the ducks I had met were making the most of it.