Character of the Duck. 38 



food, and, as has been already observed, 

 tlie goose desires nothing but the latter. 

 The inoffensive and harmless character is 

 common to both species, rendering them 

 most pleasant as well as profitable animals 

 to keep, and the contrast between them and 

 chickens, in their nature and habits, is high- 

 ly in favom* of the goose and duck tribe. 

 In fact, nothing can be more savage, cruel, 

 and voracious than the very nature of the 

 common fowl, on which domestication and 

 society work no softening effect. Nor is 

 this confined to the game breed, for chick- 

 ens of all kinds will tear to pieces, on the 

 slightest occasion, their nearest akin, de- 

 vouring their living flesh and entrails. That 

 which is said of the duck, has full as much 

 truth, when ap})lied to the chicken ; there 

 is nothing too nasty, putrid, and abomi- 

 nable to human feelings for them, upon which 

 eagerly to gratify their voracious appetites. 

 The following ferocious trait in the cha- 

 racter of the gallina, or common hen, is 

 quoted from Reaumur, in the new French 

 Dictionary of Natural History. He had 



c 3 



