468 THE TAME DUCK. 



the Hook-billed. Their peculiarity consists in walking up- 

 rightly, in feeble imitation of a Penguin. But it is not 

 strikingly apparent when they are in an ordinary frame of 

 mind. A sudden fright makes them raise their heads, as it 

 will many other birds. 



A variety not usually met with, but which deserves to be 

 better known, is that advertised by the Messrs. Baker as the 

 Labrador Duck ; the Zoological Society have had it under the 

 name of Buenos Ayres Duck, and received it from that place ; 

 in the south of England it is known as the Black East Indian 

 Duck. It would be difficult to fix upon three more dissimilar 

 and widely-separated spots on the face of the globe. We may 

 at once discard the claim of Labrador, however rich in wild 

 specimens, to the honour of sending any new tame variety of 

 bird. Believing that our Tame Ducks are all importations 

 from the East, I should give the preference to the Indian title. 

 Nothing is more probable than that the Zoological Society had 

 their birds from the East, via Buenos Ayres. Whether the 

 stock had been introduced there a month, or twenty years pre- 

 viously, does not alter the main fact ; while ships direct from 

 India would be very likely to land a few pairs at the first 

 Channel port they touched at. 



By some country dealers they are styled Beaver Ducks, in 

 allusion, perhaps, to a black beaver hat. These persons es- 

 teem them highly, and usually send them to London alive, 

 where, if good specimens, they are eventually disposed of to 

 amateurs at the rate of eight or ten shillings each. 



But from whatever quarter obtained, they are handsome 

 creatures. A little girl, at her first sight of them, could not 

 help exclaiming "Oh! what beautiful golden-green Ducks!" 

 The feet, legs, and entire plumage, should be black; a few 

 white feathers will occasionally appear; but I had some birds 

 that were immaculate, and such should be the model of the 

 breeder. The bill also is black, with a slight under-tinge of 



