THE SVv'IJLMING, OH NATATORIAL GROUP. 163 



In modern Egypt and Syria, though wild 

 water-fowl are abundant, still neither tame 

 ducks nor geese are often to be seen, and the 

 same observation applies to other parts of 

 western Asia. The reason is that the Moslems 

 very rarely eat these birds, whether tame or 

 wild, while on the contrary the common fowl 

 is reared in vast abundance. 



We must not forget that in Europe, besides 

 the ordinary tame duck, we have in our farm 

 yards a very distinct species, namely, the musk, 

 or as it is often erroneously called the Muscovy 

 duck,* {Anas moschata.) It is the Canard 

 musquS of Buffon, and deserves the title from 

 the strong scent of musk which it exhales. 



This species will inter-breed with the com- 

 mon duck, but we believe the progeny are 

 not fertile. The musk duck greatly exceeds 

 the ordinary kind in size, and, moreover, 

 differs in the colours and character of the 

 plumage, in general contour, and the forni , 

 of the head. The general colour is glossy 

 blue-black, varied more or less with white ; 

 the head is crested, and a space of naked 



* Ray says, "Muscovy duck, not because it cmnes from 

 Muscovj', but because it exhales a somewliat po-vveiful oc'.our of 

 musk;" but surely the word might be better chosen, 



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