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CHAPTER VIII. 



DUCK TRIBE MANAGEMENT OF CHINESE MODE. WILD-DUCKS 



BUILDING IN TREES AFFECTION OF. EIDER DUCKS HOW 



CAUGHT. DUCK SHOOTERS. DANGER ATTENDING DECOYS. 



IT would lead us far beyond our limits to notice all 

 the Duck tribes, which are third on the generic 

 list of this division; a few particulars must suffice. 

 Much that has been said upon the treatment of 

 Geese, applies equally to Ducks, which, under judi- 

 cious management might be made a source of great 

 profit to the cottager; and we are assured, on the 

 authority of a practical rural economist, that water 

 is by no means indispensable ; so far from it indeed, 

 that instead of being absolutely necessary, it is 

 often injurious to the young, and that, in fact, 

 they should never be suffered to swim till more 

 than a month old; that, instead of allowing young 

 Ducks to go out in the morning to eat slugs and 

 worms, they should be kept up, since this food, not- 

 withstanding their partiality for it, is injurious; 

 and that grass, corn, white cabbages, and lettuces, 

 cut when half ripe, and flung down in the haulm 

 or stalk, will make the finest Ducks for the market 

 and the table. When, young, they should be fed 

 upon barley-meal, or curds, and kept in a warm 

 place in the night-time. 



By attention and care, much more, we are per- 

 suaded, may be done in the general management, 

 as well as improvement, of our domestic birds. We 



