i68 DUCK 



invariably black/ and they have but 10 feathers in their tail, the 

 outer rectrices being in several forms much prolonged and often 

 more or less involuted, while in some cases the outermost pair ai^e 

 enlarged at the end in a racquet-like form. Many are crested, and 

 all have the base of the bill beset by more or fewer strong bristles. 



The Drongos seem to be wholly 

 insectivorous, and are usually re- 

 markable for the courage with 

 which they will attack and drive 



, . „^ „ off larger birds, such as Kites or 



Melanornis. (After Swamson.) „ r^ -i iitivt 



Grows, bonsiderable dimculty is 

 found in discriminating the specific and generic forms of this Family ; 

 but two, Dicrurus (or JBuchanga) assimilis and I), ludwigi, inhabit the 

 Cape Colony, Avhile no fewer than 15, referred by Mr. Oates (Faun. 

 Br. Ind. Birds, i. pp. 308-326) to 7 genera, inhabit various parts of 

 our Indian possessions, among which D. ater or macrocerms is the 

 King- Crow proper, ranging from Affghanistan to China, though 

 apparently not found in the Malay Peninsula. Australia is graced, 

 so far as is known, with a single species, Chibia hracfeata, but many 

 are found in Malasia and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. 



DUCK, a word cognate with the Dutch Duycker (Germ. Tauch- 

 ente — and in Bavaria ZJuck-antl), the general English name for a 

 large number of birds forming the greater part of the Family 

 Anatidai of modern ornithologists. Technically the term Duck is 

 restricted to the female, the male being called Drake, and in one 

 species Mallard (Fr. Mcdart). 



The Anatidx may be at once divided into six more or less 

 well-marked subfamilies — (1) the Cygninx (Swan), (2) the Anser- 

 ine (Goose) — which are each very distinct, (3) the Anatinx or 

 Freshwater Ducks, (4) those commonly called Fuligidinx or Sea- 

 Ducks (Pochard), (5) the Erismaturinx or Spiny-tailed Ducks, and 

 (6) the Merginx (Merganser). Of the Anatinx, Avhich may be con- 

 sidered the typical group, Ave propose to treat here only, and 

 especially of the Anas hoscas of Linnajus, the common Wild Duck, 

 Avhich from every point of A'icAV is by far the most important 

 species, as it is the most plentiful, the most Avidely distributed, and 

 the best knoAvn — being, wdthout a doubt, the origin of all our 

 domestic breeds. It inhabits the greater part of the northern 

 hemisphere, reaching in Avinter so far as the Isthmus of Panama in 

 the NeAV World, and in the Old being abundant at the same season 

 in Egypt and India, Avhile in summer it ranges throughout the Fur- 



1 G. R. Gray placed in this group the genus l7-cne (see Bluebhid), "most 

 unfortunately," as Jerdon states (B. Ind. ii. p. 104), and herein all who have 

 any knowledge of the subject agree. The position of the genus may be uncertain, 

 but among Passcres one less suitable than this can hardly be found. 



