THE WOOD DUCK. 151 



can eat, for about a fortnight, their flavour 

 will be all that can be desired. 



Awkward and clumsy as the duck ap- 

 pears to be, and ill provided as he is with 

 offensive arms, he is more than a match for 

 the stoutest cock in the poultry-yard ; and 

 as these combats frequently take place, it is 

 well to keep ducks in a separate enclosure. 

 Ducks in this latitude commence laying 

 about the middle or end of March, accord- 

 ing to the season, and one drake is said to 

 be required for five ducks. The term of 

 sitting extends to thirty days. 



The Wood Duck, which we have noticed 

 above, has been reared in a state of domesti- 

 cation for the sake of its extraordinary beauty 

 and the price which it brings in the market 

 alive. It is not uncommon to obtain from 

 three to four dollars a pair, male and female, 

 and this may render it an object to raise 

 them. This, however, cannot be done ad- 

 vantageously, unless you have a pond with 

 a convenient house in the centre, or a hol- 

 low log, which appears to suit them better. 



We earnestly hope that some well-plan- 



