52 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GEORGIA. 



THE MUSCOVY, 



Or Musk Duck, so called from the decided odor of musk emitted by 

 the drake, is a very common and hardy breed, which has not been 

 bred to any uniform color, being either white or black, or a ming- 

 ling of these in every conceivable manner. There is more than the 

 ordinary difference betvveen the size of the drake and the duck. 

 Their table qualities are inferior to those of the breeds already men- 

 tioned, though when well fattened the^y are of fair quality. The 

 drake is exceedingly quarrelsome and hence is a disagreeable com- 

 panion in the poultry yard. 



This seems to be quite a distinct breed as its <3ross upon others is 

 generally unfertile. The duck lays a large egg but a much smaller 

 number than either the Aylesbury, Rouen or the Black Cayuga. 



THE COMMON DUCK. 



seems to be a degenerate descendant of the Rouen as ,its*plumage 

 resembles that of the latter very closely. They are prolific and 

 hardy but small, and are rather disagreeable additions to the poul- 

 try yard on account of the perpetual "quack" "quack" of the female. 

 They are good layers and when well fattened possess excellent table 

 qualities. 



All varieties of ducks are careless as to the deposit of their eggs, 

 dropping them indiscriminately on their run or in the water, and 

 hence it is well to keep them in the -house until nine o'clock each 

 morning during the laying season. .They invariably lay early in 

 the morning and hence, by this means all of their eggs will gener- 

 ally be secured. 



DUCKS AND CARP ?ONDS. 



As carp culture is now becoming so common a few suggestions on 

 the above subject will be appropriate here Whether the ducks 

 seek the eggs of the carp while they remain attached to the grass on 

 the margin of the pond, is not fully determined, but there is* 

 no question of the fact that in seeking their food in the shallow 

 water, as they are fond of doing, the ducks incidentally destroy a 

 great many eggs. They should therefore be carefully excluded from 

 the ponds during the spawning season of the carp, which extends 

 from the first of April to August. After that time the ducks may 

 frequent the ponds to the advantage of both the fish and the clucks, 

 until the return of the spawning season, 



