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FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



selves, it is their fault if things are not settled exactly to 

 their liking ; at least all societies and all interests may easily 

 he represented there by delegates, friends, or neighbors of 

 necessary absentees. 



Let us have a Convention called. The Executive Com- 

 mittee of the American Association is composed of but 

 twenty men, and a "baker's dozen" could hardly be got 

 together at once out of this score of gentlemen, scattered as 

 they are from Maine to California ; and these dozen men 

 ought not to be asked to revise this standardly themselves. 

 It is the people's work to do, and the masses should meet 

 and complete it rightfully, in concert with, this Association. 

 No one can justly object to this plan. B. 



PodLj^Y D^VITI^T- 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



THE WOOD DUCK. 



This is a most beautiful specimen of the web-footed tribe, 

 differing from most other sorts by the habit of constructing 

 its nest in the hollow or decaj'ed portions of trees, and some- 

 times by laying sticks across the forked branches, from which 

 the young drop into the water. They only remain in this 

 latitude through the summer, and at the approach of cold 

 weather emigrate to a warmer clime; hence it is sometimes 

 called the "Summer or Carolina Duck," which closely 

 resembles in appearance the Chinese Mandarin. It is 

 known in the United States from the northern to the 

 southern limits, as well as an inhabitant of Mexico and the 

 West India Islands. 



They are often seen in quantities in the New York and 

 Philadelphia markets, though the flesh is said to be inferior 

 to the Blue-winged Teal. Its food consists of seeds, wild 

 oats, insects, and aquatic plants. 



In this State the female usually lays, early in May, eggs 



of an oval shape, resembling polished ivory in color. In- 

 cubation lasts twenty-five days. When they are hatched 

 some distance from the water the mother carries the young 

 from the nest in the tree to it, where a flock of them skim- 

 ming about is very ornamental. They may be domesticated 

 by setting the eggs under a hen or tame duck, and approach- 

 ing the young quite frequently until they become familiar, 

 never allowing them to become suddenlj' or unnecessarily 

 frightened. As they become domesticated they increase in 

 size, and if the birds are properly moulted, by attention 

 and proper food, their crests become more and more devel- 

 oped, and the plumage more brilliant, but they will not 

 breed in confinement until they become accustomed to their 

 abode and contented therein. 



Their great beauty renders thorough domestication so 

 desirable that no prejudice in favor of small size should be 

 allowed to interpose, as no poultry show is complete in their 

 absence. The adult drake has a red bill, margined with 

 black, and having a black spot between the nostrils, and a 

 sort of hooked projection at the end. The irides of the eye 

 are orange-red. Crown of head and crest pendant of a rich 

 glossy bronze-green, and beautifully marked with a line of 

 pure white running over the eye and another behind it, 

 producing a very striking appearance. Chin, throat, and 

 color round the neck pure white. Breast dark violet brown, 

 marked with spots of white, increasing in size until they 

 spread into the white of the belly. Sides under the wings 

 thickly and beautifully marked with fine, undulating, paral- 

 lel lines of black on a ground of yellowish-drab. Tail 

 coverts long, of a hair-like texture at the sides, over which 

 they droop, and are of a deep greenish-black. Back dusty 

 brown. 



The female has a smaller crest on the head, with a crown 

 of dark purple, a bar of white behind the eye, white chin 

 and throat; neck drab, breast dusky brown, with gold and 

 greenish reflections. Tail is shorter, and the hair-like 

 coverts of the male wanting. Altogether their plumage is 

 splendid and attractive. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



ABOUT BLACK RUSSIANS. 



Believing it is well that we should know as much as 

 possible about the different breeds of fowls, and believing 

 that the economic value of fowls particularly should be well 

 understood by those at least who breed them for profit, I 

 venture in this short article to offer a word of protest against 

 the praise which has been lavished on the particular breed 

 known as Black Bussians. 



I was first led to think favorably of them through a circu- 

 lar forwarded me several years ago by one who was at the 

 time breeding them. I corresponded for some time with 

 this breeder with the intention of testing the fowls, but the 

 replies I got were not altogether satisfactory. 



It will be recollected by many of m} 7 readers that some 

 eighteen months ago an illustrated article appeared in the 

 Poultry World, giving a brief description of the fowls. 

 The writer cautiously says : " They appear to have useful 

 economical qualities, prodigious reports having been made 

 of their laying qualities, &c." Believing that the writer of 

 the article was deceived, like myself, I have nothing to say 

 and lay no blame to him. The truth is I believed too im- 

 plicitly in the representations of several who were interested 

 in the breed, and bought some of these fowls. I do not find 



