350 BIRD BEHAVIOUR 



Fowls, may be destined to rise in importance. The 

 Muscovy Duck, indeed, being widely kept not 

 only in its tropical American home, but in Africa 

 and the Pacific islands, may claim to be more 

 important as food than any other tame bird except 

 the Fowl, and is even more easily raised, though its 

 utility is nowadays not recognized in Britain. The 

 common Goose is the oldest of domesticated birds 

 as far as positive evidence goes, long antedating the 

 Fowl, to say nothing of the common Duck, whose 

 domestication only dates back to the Christian era, 

 since the Roman Ducks of that time were liable to 

 fly away; the Muscovy had already been tamed 

 by the natives when South America was discovered. 

 The Chinese Goose {Cygnofsis cygnoides) is the 

 Goose of India as vvell as China and Japan, and 

 apparently kept in West Africa also, from its name 

 of Guinea Goose, but the date of its reclamation is 

 unknown. 



Besides these practical waterfowl, we have do- 

 mesticated the common Swan and the Carolina 

 Duck — another tribute to man's love of beauty, 

 for Swans are rarely eaten nowadays. It is a good 

 thing that the Carolina's domestication is accom- 

 phshed, for this bird is said to be in danger of 

 extinction in America, where extermination seems 

 to be most difficult of control. Perhaps, however, 

 there is some weakness in the American birds 

 which makes them "go under" more easily under 

 persecution ; it seems strange that the Passenger 

 Pigeon {Ectofistes migratorius) should. have become 



