THE GENESEE FAEMER. 



248 



THE MALLARD DUCK. 



and may be found in abundance on all our rivers, 

 ponds, and lakes, from Hudson's Bay to the swamps 

 of Nicaragua. It is a large, handsome bird, and is 

 readily tamed and kept with the domestic bird. 



THE WOOD DTJCK. 



TiTE "Wood Duck is another variety highly es- 

 teemed for the beauty of its plumage and the ex- 

 quisite flavor of its flesh. It is a native of America 

 only, and is a very solitary bird, being generally 

 seen in pairs in the deep shady recesses abounding 

 on our smaller streams and ponds, or among the 

 tall reeds of Long Point Bay on Lake Erie. It is 

 easily domesticated, and then forms a great orna- 

 ment to the ponds of our pleasure grounds. 



THE MANDARIN DUCK. 



The Mandarin Duck resembles in many respects 

 our Wood duck, but is still more beautiful and 

 gorgeous in the ever-vai'ying tints of its plumage. 

 It came originally from China, and is only seen 

 here in a domesticated state, and specimens of it 

 are still very scarce, and only to be met with 

 among poultry fanciers or at shows. 



The Musk Duck, erroneously called the Muscovy 

 duck, is a native of South Ametica, where it prin- 



cipally inhabits Brazil. It is distinguished for a 

 peculiar caruncled membrane of a red color cov- 

 ering the cheeks, and a white top -knot or crest. 



THE MUSK DUCK. 



It is thought to bo a different species from the 

 common duck, as a cross from the two is usually 

 sterile. They are larger than the common duck, 

 especially the drake. They do not lay as many 

 eggs as the common duck. They are great foragers 

 and consume a great deal of vegetable food. Their 

 flesh is said to be excellent when young. 



THE ROUEN DUCK. 



The Rouen Duck. — This bird is derived from 

 France, and is esteemed as the best of domesticated 

 ducks, both for its flesh and its large size, a pair of 

 young drakes often weighing 20 lbs. By epicures 

 its flesh is esteemed the finest flavored of any. It 

 has an ungainly, awkward appearance ; eyes sunk 

 into the head, and an unpretending plumage. It 

 diminishes in size very much when crossed with 

 other varieties. It lays very large eggs, and re- 

 quires less food in proportion to its size than any 

 other duck. 



THE AYLESBURY DUCK. 



The Atlesbuet Duck. — This is a beautiful bird, 

 of a clear, unspotted, creamy-white color ; a hand- 



