Breeds and Care 245 



Muscovy ducks. These are the largest of any 

 of the breeds mentioned, but for various rea- 

 sons are not such profitable farm fowls as others. 

 When compared with the Pekins or Rouen s, 

 the Muscovies are not as good layers. They 

 are not so easily confined. Muscovy ducks are 

 often troublesome in the poultry yard on account 

 of their disposition to attack other fowls, both 

 young and old. 



Call ducks. Call ducks are bred chiefly for 

 exhibition purposes. The gray Call ducks are 

 sometimes bred for decoys and are used by sports- 

 men to lure wild ducks within shooting distances. 

 They are not recommended as profitable farm 

 fowls. 



DUCKS FOOD AND CAKE 



The natural food of the duck differs in some 

 respects from that of the hen. While ducks, 

 like hens, eat a great variety of food, yet because 

 the duck is not possessed of a distinct crop the 

 food is passed more directly to the digestive or- 

 gans and does not undergo so complete a soften- 

 ing process as that consumed by the hen. It is, 

 therefore, of the utmost importance that the food 

 be consumed in a soft condition. In nature the 

 duck gathers a large proportion of its food from 

 streams, ponds, or marshy places. This food 

 consists of the young growing shoots and roots 



