THE DUCK. 83 



shall not attempt describing, nor shall we even enumerate the 

 varieties which different countries afford ; for the multiplying of 

 names tends but little to increase the sphere of knowledge. The 

 duck in its domestic state is universally known, and the most ob- 

 vious distinction between the wild-duck and the tame consists in 

 the colour of their feet ; those of the former being yellow, and 

 those of the latter black. 



If a minute description of the different species of ducks, which 

 by some naturalists are reckoned about ten in the tame, and 

 more than twenty in the wild kind, be unnecessary, some par- 

 ticular traits, however, in the history of this bird will not be un- 

 interesting. They all live nearly in the same manner, and, wild 

 as well as tame, all on the same kind of food. They prefer corn, 

 grass, and other vegetables, where these are plentiful ; but their 

 appetites are far from being delicate, and they will greedily de- 

 vour frogs, toads, lizards, or any other kind of reptiles or insects 

 that come in their way. 



As ducks possess the faculties both of swimming and flying, they 

 are well adapted for migration, and the wild are in general birds 

 of passage ; and it is not improbable that they perform their pas- 

 sage across the ocean alternately in the water and in the air. 

 As soon as they arrive in Great Britain, they are seen flying in 

 flecks, and appearing to take a survey of the lakes where they 

 intend to make their winter's abode. In the choice of these, 

 they have two objects in view, — freedom from disturbance, and 

 the facility of procuring food. 



Various methods of taking these birds have been tried, but 

 none has succeeded so well as the decoy, in places where the 

 situation is favourable. This is principally where there is a 

 pond nearly surrounded by a wood, and beyond that a marshy 

 and uncultivated ground. When a proper place is chosen, the 

 pool is planted round with willows, unless it be shaded on every 

 side. On the north and on the south, there ought to be three 

 or four ditches, broad towards the pool, and growing gradually 

 narrower till they end in a point. These ditches are covered 

 over with nets, supported by covered sticks, fastened on each 

 side, and terminated by a tunnel-net. The whole apparatus 

 must be carefully concealed by a hedge of rushes or reeds, run- 

 ning along the margin of the pool, behind which the fowler 

 manages his operations, which would be totally frustrated if the 

 ducks should discover him. The places being fitted in this man- 

 ner, the fowler is provided with a number of wild-ducks rendered 

 tame and trained to the business. These are always fed at the 

 mouth of the pipe, and accustomed to come at a whistle. They 

 are called decoy-ducks, and without them the business could not 

 be transacted. As soon as the evening is set in, the wild fowl begin 

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