26 Mr. Swainson on the Typical Perfection 



mate and in every country, where man assembles around him 

 the mute companions which live and propagate under his care, 

 the Mallard, almost exclusively, is the only Duck which is seen 

 in this state. How many attempts have been made to domes- 

 ticate others, and how completely, for all practical purposes, 

 have they failed ? Thirdly, there is a very elegant and peculiar 

 developement of tail in this species, and several others of the 

 same group have lengthened crests, at the hinder part of the 

 head. Further, this bird is not only more terrestrial in its 

 habits than any we have here noticed, but differs from all 

 these in frequently constructing its nest at ' some distance from 

 the water/ and even in high trees and towers *. In several spe- 

 cies the under plumage is regularly and beautifully spotted ; and 

 in others the tertial feathers are richly ornamented and curved 

 in an unusual manner. Although the Teals are generally 

 considered the smallest race of ducks, yet they are not the 

 typical examples of this particular group ; while the Mallard 

 and the other flatter-billed species are, unquestionably, the 

 largest in the whole circle. I have thus brought together, 

 under one view, every peculiarity, whether of external form 

 or of habit, that can possibly be selected as in any way pecu- 

 liar to the Mallard, when viewed in reference to that parti- 

 cular group with which it is here associated ; we shall now see 

 that every one of these facts illustrates, in the most complete 

 manner, the analogy of this sub-genus to the rasorial and the 

 scansorial groups. 



The order Rasores is remarkable for birds having an entire 

 bill : it comprehends the peacock, the turkey, the pheasant^ 

 and the fowl: all those land birds, in short, which seem 

 set apart for domestication by man. In this assemblage, also, 

 we find the most beautiful and singular development of the 

 tail, the most elegant crests, and the most decided partiality for 

 living on the ground. In this order, likewise, we have the 

 most striking examples of a spotted plumage, witness the pea- 



' ' Many instances are recorded of the common duck depositing her eggs at a 

 considerable height from the ground : one, mentioned by Mr. Tunstall, was found 

 sitting upon nine eggs on an oak, twenty-five feet from the ground. The author 

 of the " Rural Sports" also records an instance of a duck taking possession of the 

 deserted nest of a hawk, in a large oak.' Montague, Orni. Diet. Suppl. Many 

 other instances are mentioned in the popular compilations. 



