270 



THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



red caruncled membrane on the cheeks, as well 

 as the musky odor of the rump gland of the 

 Musk duck. These hybrids are of good size, 

 fat readily, and are not inferior to the wild 

 duck for the table, as the author can testify. 



The drake is often very pugnacious, cross, 

 and quarrelsome with other poultry; and we 

 have known it to attack small children, and 

 take away food from them. He manifests little 

 affection to his female partner, and none to- 

 ward his offspring. The possession of three or 

 four mates suits him and them better than to 

 be confined to the company of a single one. 

 He bullies other fowls, sometimes by pulling 

 their feathers, but more frequently by following 

 them close, and repeatedly thrusting his face in 

 their way with an offensive satyr-like expression 

 of countenance ; or salaciously pursuing them, 

 whether male or female, until he has accom- 

 plished his purpose, or at least made an attempt. 



Though a voracious feeder, the Musk duck 

 is easily fattened, a prolific breeder, and conse- 

 quently may be profitably reared. It is excel- 

 lent eating, if killed just before it is fully feath- 

 ered, but it is longer in becoming fit for the 

 table than the common duck. The flesh is at 

 first high flavored and tender, but an old bird 

 would be rank and tough. 



The rearing of the young of the Musk duck, 

 at least in the southern parts of the United 

 States, is not attended with greater difficulty 

 than those of other domestic varieties ; when- 

 ever, therefore, we hear of complaints being 

 made to the contrary, we presume that the cold- 

 er northern sections are the localities referred 

 to. The finest and most healthy brood we have 

 ever seen, were hatched and reared in the attic 

 of a warm out-building. 



No very high opinion is entertained by us as 

 regards the appearance, habits, or economy of 

 this duck in the poultry-yard. The bloated 

 look of the head, the inordinate length of the 

 body, its awkward legs and twaddle walk, mar 

 the effect of colors that are often brilliant and 

 striking. 



THE WOOD DUCK. 



This is the most beautiful of the ducks known ; 

 the only one approaching it being the Manda- 



rin duck of China, which, indeed, it strongly 

 resembles. Its popular name of wood duck, is 

 derived from the fact that it makes its nest in 

 hollow trees ; and the summer duck, from remain- 

 ing with us during the summer. It is only seen 

 in the North during the summer months, mi- 

 grating southwardly with the cold weather. It 

 is familiarly known in every part of the United 

 States, from Florida to Lake Ontario. It rare- 

 ly visits the sea-shore or salt marshes, its favor- 

 ite haunts being the solitary, deep, and muddy 

 creeks, ponds, and mill-dams of the interior, 

 making its nest frequently in some old hollow 

 tree that overhangs the water. 



The wood duck is equally well known in Mex- 

 ico and many of the West India Islands. Dur- 

 ing the whole of our winters they are occasion- 

 ally seen in the States south of the Potomac. 

 On the 10th of January Doughty says he met 

 with two on a creek near Petersburg, Virginia. 

 In the more northern districts, however, they 

 are migratory. In Pennsylvania, the female 

 usually begins to lay late in April or early in 

 May. Instances have been known where the 

 nest was constructed of a few sticks laid in a 

 fork of the branches ; usually, however, in the 

 hollow of a tree, which is selected for this pur- 

 pose. 



The wood duck seldom flies in flocks of more 

 than three or four individuals together, and 

 most commonly in pairs, or singly. The com- 

 mon note of the drake is Peet ! peet! but when, 

 standing sentinel, he sees danger, he makes a 

 noise not unlike the crowing of a young cock 

 Oe eek ! oe eek ! It breeds from Mexico to the 

 Columbia River, and eastwardly to Nova Scotia. 

 It has been found from 19 south to 54 north 

 latitude. Its food consists of acorns, chestnuts, 

 seeds of wild oats, aquatic plants, and insects. 

 Its eggs yellowish-white. Their flesh is inferior 

 to that of the Blue-winged teal. They are fre- 

 quent in the Albany, New York, and Philadel- 

 phia markets. A few years since large num- 

 bers were taken in a seine on Lake Pleasant, 

 and sold alive in Albany. 



Among other gaudy feathers with which the 

 Indians ornament the calumet, or pipe of peace, 

 the skin of the head and neck of the wood duck 

 is frequently seen covering the stem. 



