Book VII. 



AQUATIC FOWLS. 



1043 



than that of the common cock and hen both in color and taste, and is reckoned a "very 

 good substitute for tlie former bird. It is also very prolific, and its eggs are nourish- 

 ing and good. It assimilates perfectly with common fowls in its artificial habits and 

 kinds of food ; but it has this peculiarity that the 

 cocks and hens are so nearly alike, that it is diflS- 

 cult to distinguish them, and it has a peculiar gait, 

 and cry, and chuckle. 



673 1 . The peacock [Pavo cristatus, L. ) is a native 

 of India, and found in a wild state in Java and 

 Ceylon, where they perch on trees like the turkey in 

 America. The age of the peacock extends to twenty 

 years, and at three the tail of the cock is full and 

 complete. The cock requires from three to four 

 hens ; and where the country agrees with them, they 

 are very prolific, a great ornament to the poultry 

 yard and lawn, and useful for the destruction of all 

 kinds of reptiles. Unfortunately, they are not easily 

 kept within moderate bounds, and are very destructive in gardens. They live on the same 

 food as other domestic fowls, and prefer barley. They are in season from February till 

 June ; but though a peacock forms a very showy dish, the flesh is ill-colored and coarse, 

 and they are therefore kept more as birds of ornament than of use. 



Sect. III. Anserine, or Aquatic Fowls. 



6732. The order awseres comprehends the duck, goose, swan, and buzzard. Under a 

 regular system, Mowbray observes, it would be preferable to separate entirely the aquatic 

 from the other poultry, the former to have their houses ranged along the banks of a piece 

 of water, with a fence, and suflEiciently capacious walks in front ; access to the water by 

 doors to be closed at will. Should the water be of considerable extent, a small boat 

 would be necessary, and might be also conducive to the pleasure of angling. 



6733. The duck (Anas boschus, 'L.yjlg. 722, ) 

 is a native of Britain, and found frequenting 

 the edges and banks of lakes in most parts of 

 Europe. The flesh of this and various other 

 species of the duck is savory and stimulant, and 

 said to aflPord preferable nourishment to that of 

 the goose, being less gross, and more easily 

 digested. The flesh of the wild duck, though 

 more savory than that of the tame, is reckoned 

 still more easy of digestion. The ancients 

 went even beyond our greatest modern epicures 

 in their high esteem for the flesh of the duck, 



and Plutarch asserts, that Cato preserved his whole household in health by dieting them 



on duck's flesh. 



6734. Varieties and species. There are the Rhone, the Aylesbury, the Canvass-backed , 



and the Muscovy. 



6735. The Rhone duck is originally from France, and generally of a dark-colored plumage, large size, 

 and supposed to improve our breed. They are of darker flesh, and more savory than the English duck ; 

 but somewhat coarse. Rhone-ducks have been so constantly imported for a great number of years, that 

 they are very generally mixed with our native breed. The English duck, particularly the white variety, 

 especially when they chance to have light-colored flesh, are never of so high and savory flavor as the darker 

 colors. Muscovy and other foreign species of the duck, are kept rather out of curiosity than for the 

 table. 



6736. The white Aylesbury are a beautiful and ornamental stock, matching well in color with the 

 Embden geese. They are said to be early breeders. 



6737. The canvass-backed, bred only on the Potowraac and Susquehanna rivers, are of very recent intro- 

 duction from America, and are only to be found in a few places near Liverpool ; they are said to be the 

 best in the world, and if so will soon become better known. 



6738. The Muscovy duck (A. Moschata, L.), is a native of Brazil, but domesticated in 

 Europe. It is a curious dark-colored bird, distinguished by its naked face, kept more out 

 of curiosity than use ; to be retained in any place, they must be reared there from the 

 egg, otherwise they will fly away. 



6739. breeding. One drake is generally put to five ducks ; the duck will cover from 

 eleven to fifteen eggs, and her term of incubation is thirty days. They begin to lay in 

 February, are very prolific, and are apt, like the turkey, to lay abroad, and conceal their 

 eggs, by covering them with leaves or straws. The duck generally lays by night, or 

 early in the morning ; white and light-colored ducks produce similar eggs, and the brown 

 and dark-colored ducks, those of a greenish blue color, and of the largest size. In 

 setting ducks, it is considered safest to put lighucolored eggs under light ducks, and the 



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