62 
except the Muscovy, descended from the wild 
Mallard (Anas boschas), and the drake still 
retains the curls in the tail, although his 
figure is sadly degenerated from the fine 
outlines of the wild bird. The Aylesbury 
duck is remarkable for its early maturity, 
and attains a great size; a drake 10 Ibs. in 
weight and a yard long appears to be at 
present in existence, as eges sired by such 
a one are advertised. The Aylesbury is the 
whitest of all the white ducks, 
even its bill bemeg pale flesh-colour, although 
the feet are orange. Im the Pekin Duck 
breeds of 
Animal Life 
occurrence of white wild birds, should make 
us cautious in accepting the common theory 
that everything goes by slow gradations in 
nature. Nature, indeed, is especially fond of 
making a jump from black to white; albinos 
are particularly common in the crow tribe, 
and no British bird is more lable to albinism 
than the Blackbird (Merula merula), which 
frequently throws white or pied varieties. 
To 
From what I have seen, however, I should 
say that albinistic cock black- 
birds are more common than 
Hen 
Blackbird. 
Photograph by S. G. Payne, Aylesbury. 
AYLESBURY DUCKS. 
and the little white Call-Duck the bill is 
orange. It is a curious fact that the 
Aylesbury’s delicate bill is easily discoloured, 
and will become very sallow if the ducks be 
allowed to go about in the sun or “bibble” 
in dirty water. A new breed of white ducks 
has been produced of late years from the 
mallard direct, two white birds haying been 
bred wild parents and the 
ancestors of a strone-flying white strain. 
Such cases as these, and the frequent 
from become 
hens, which rather bears on the tendency 
of black to “throw” white. The hen 
blackbird, of course, is not black, but a 
dark sooty brown with hght streaks on 
the throat, as shown in the photograph of 
the sittmg bird. The hen blackbird is 
very steady on her nest, and will bear 
being looked at almost at arm’s length— 
at any rate that was the with one 
I have been studying in a Kentish garden 
lately. 
Sase 
