S66 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



good layers was included in all four breeds. 

 The descendants of these matings were then 

 crossed back and forth on to one another until, 

 with time, care, and patience, the desired end 

 was accomplished. But before this came about 

 it was noticed that a great many of the off- 

 spring came with a lot of blue on the back, 

 wings, thighs, and portions of the neck. This 

 put the idea into the head of the originator 

 (the late Mr. William Cook) to make a Blue 

 Orpington duck, as well as Buff Orpington 

 ducks ; so the darkest and the ones with most 

 blue markings were put on one side and mated 

 with Cayugas and Pekins. Then the same 

 process went on with these, mating and inter- 

 mating, until the Blue Orpington ducks were 

 a finished article, the same as the Buffs. 



" Both varieties are most useful and at the 

 same time very handsome and good to look at. 

 They are very hardy, easy to rear, quick in 



Buff Orpington Ducks. 



growth, and good foragers on an open space or 

 held, finding most of their own food ; very 

 active and fctile, being equally good with a 

 pond or stream, or merely a trough or drinker, 

 for their water. In mild countries, such as the 

 British Isles, they require no houses, doing 

 well out in the open run, held or stackyard." 



The Standard for the breed appears at the 

 end of this chapter. 



A successful attempt to create by crossing 

 and selection a new breed of ducks which 

 should exhibit real superiority in useful quali- 

 ties has resulted in what are known 

 Campbell as Campbell ducks, produced by 

 Ducks. Mrs. Campbell, of Uley, in Glouces- 



tershire. These are now bred in 

 two colours. The original strain was descended 

 from one duck which exhibited most remark- 

 able laying powers, and was probably some- 

 thing of the Rouen colour, since the original 

 Campbells are somewhat like Rouens in ap- 

 pearance, but much lighter, with a plain head 



of a greyish brown shade, and no streak 

 running from the eye : the drakes have grey 

 backs and a pale claret breast — the legs 

 yellow. The object was to produce excellence 

 'in laying, with fair table qualities and quick 

 maturity ; and it is stated that for years past 

 the egg-average has been over 200 per annum, 

 while the young are hatched at all seasons, and 

 do well all the year round. They are not very 

 large, stock birds weighing 4^ lbs. to 5 lbs., 

 and in flavour considerably resemble the wild 

 ]\Iallard, which was used in crossing as one of 

 the foundations of the strain. 



The other sub-variety is, more recent, and is 

 known as the Khaki or Khaki-Campbell duck. 

 The drake is khaki colour all over except the 

 head and stern, which are bronze green ; the 

 duck is entirely khaki colour, a delicate lacing 

 of darker buff showing on each feather. The 

 Indian Runner has been used in crossing to 

 produce this variety, and as the result the 

 Khaki duck is of extremely active habits, 

 doing best on a good range, and showing very 

 little desire for swimming — in fact, Mrs. 

 Campbell, we believe, only allows them drink- 

 ing water. At twelve weeks old the ducklings 

 come up to about 4 lbs. to \\ lbs., the laying 

 being about the same average as the other 

 strain. Whatever time of year they are 

 hatched, they are said to commence laying at 

 or before six months old, so that by hatching 

 about three lots, very early, medium, and late, 

 eggs are easily obtained every day in the year. 



Much was said at one time about the 

 Duclair duck, named from a town between 

 Havre and Rouen, and the chief duck of 

 that district ; but there appears 

 Continental nothing distinctive about it at all. 

 Ducks. The colour is much like that of 



carelessly bred and mis - marked 

 Rouens, or rather of common farmyard ducks 

 with Rouen blood ; and those imported gave 

 no better results than the old Englisn breeds. 

 The beautiful smooth white skin so admired is 

 the result of French feeding, devoted to birds 

 without keel. These ducks are long in shape, 

 and not so deep in body as Rouens, and are 

 very good layers. The same in effect may be 

 said of the Belgian races called Laplaignc, 

 Merchtem, etc., occasionally seen at London 

 shows of table poultry : their distinctness of 

 race is mostly very dubious, and the same 

 feeding would certainly, in a generation or 

 two, produce better results with the races 

 familiar to our readers. 



The most distinctive race of all is the 

 Peruvian or Muscovy or Musk duck, which 

 alone appears not to be descended from the 



