THE DOMESTIC DUCK. 139 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE DOMESTIC DUCK. 



" THE duck," says Mr. Richardson, " should always find a 

 place in the poultry-yard, provided only that it can have access 

 to water ; without water, it is useless to endeavor to keep these 

 fowl, but even a very small supply will suffice. I myself have 

 kept them with success, and fattened the ordinary duck to the 

 weight of eight pounds, with no further supply of water than 

 what was afforded by a large tub sunk in the ground, as I have 

 already described, when treating of poultry-yards. It must be 

 remembered, that the flesh of these birds will be found to par- 

 take, to a great extent, of the flavor of the food on which they 

 have been fattened ; and as they are naturally very foul feeders, 

 care should be taken, for at least a week or so before killing, to 

 confine them to select food. Boiled potatoes are very good 

 feeding, and are still better, if a little grain be mixed through 

 them ; Indian meal will be found both economical and nutritive, 

 but should be used sparingly at first. 



Some recommend butcher's offal ; but I may only warn my 

 readers, that although ducks may be fattened on such food to 

 an unusual weight, and thus will be profitable for the market, 

 such feeding will render their flesh rank and gross, and not at 

 all fit for table. In a garden, ducks will do good service, vora- 

 ciously consuming slugs, frogs, and insects ; nothing coming 

 amiss to them : not being scratchers, they do not, like other 

 poultry, commit such a degree of mischief, in return, as to 

 counterbalance their usefulness. 



The duck is very prolific. I recollect reading an account, in 

 an English newspaper, of a duck belonging to a Mr. Morrell, 

 of Belper Dally, which laid an egg daily for eighty-five succes- 



