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THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



THE CEESTED DUCK. 



THE CRESTED DUCK. 



This is a beautiful and ornamental variety. 

 They are of all colors, having in fact no other 

 common features. We have had them pure 

 white, black, and mixed black and white, with 

 large turbans, or top-knots. The duck from 

 which our portrait was taken, is a fair specimen 

 of the pied ones. The white are considered the 

 most beautiful, as they have yellow bills and legs. 

 We are not advised of the origin of this variety. 

 Mr. Brent regards them as probable descend- 

 ants of the Australian tufted ducks, of which 

 more than one variety is said to exist in that 

 country. Many may have been thus bred ; but 

 the accidental appearance of the tuft on the 

 goose, of which bird we have no rumor even of 

 any variety thus uniformly decorated, suggests 

 the probability of the duck having obtained its 

 head-dress in a similar accidental manner. The 

 top-knot of the latter, however, is in general 

 proportionably larger, and more spherical than 

 that of any geese we have ever yet seen, 

 sometimes, though placed on the back of the 

 head, even rivaling in form that of the Polish 

 hen. 



Main speaks of the "Red-crested duck," from 

 New Zealand, but which is not common there. 

 A red crest grows on the head ; a very glossy 

 black-gray is predominant on the back, and a 

 deep grayish soot-color on the belly; the bill 

 and legs are lead-color, the irides golden. 



Latham also speaks of the Crested duck, 

 and says, " This inhabitant of the extremity c-f 

 America is of the size of the wild duck, but is 

 much longer, for it measures twenty-five inches 

 in length; a tuft adorns its head; a straw-yel- 

 low, mixed with rusty-colored spots, is spread 

 over the throat and front of the neck; the wing 

 speculum blue beneath, edged with white ; the 

 bill, wing, and tail are black ; irides red, and all 

 the rest of the body ashy-gray." 



It is a question, therefore, not easily an- 

 swered, whether the domestic Crested duck has 

 been produced from a cross of our wood duck, 

 or from the above-mentioned variety. If it 

 sprung from either, its size would indicate that 

 the one mentioned by Latham would appear 

 the most likely to produce them. 



Very fine specimens of Crested ducks have 

 been exhibited at the different meetings of the 

 Poultry and Agricultural Societies. 



