THE MUSK DUCK 



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laughed at me, saying, " You will never get them, as 

 there have been two men after them for several days, 

 and they did not even get a shot." 



I kept my eyes on the birds, however, and at last saw 

 the male go directly across the pond and dive for food 

 among the weeds. I jumped up, ran back far enough 

 to be out of sight; then started round the pond. 

 When I came opposite where the duck was, I crawled 



MUSK DUCK. 



down till I could see him, and the next time he dived, 

 ran to the edge of the water. I had my gun all ready, 

 and before he had time to take alarm after corning up, 

 I gave him one barrel of coarse shot, which stretched 

 him out on the water. He was a fine bird, mottled 

 with brown and black, and had under his lower mandi- 

 ble a dewlap which hung down two inches. There 

 Avas a strong smell of musk about him, and he was 

 certainly the largest duck I had ever seen. His wings 



