The Aylesbury Duck. 137 



which is to be found over all the continent of Europe, in most 

 parts of North America, and has also been seen in portions 

 of Northern Africa and Western Asia, though it is most 

 numerous on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is 

 not much unlike the Eouen in its plumage, though more 

 upright in shape ; and, as is generally the case with wild 

 birds, it is much more active in its habits. It is found chiefly 

 in marshes and fens, and, in parts of the West and South 

 especially, it is shot in very large numbers, but there are 

 many other parts of the country where it is also to be met 

 with. In a wild state ducks are monogamous, and thus the 

 domesticated ones have been corrupted by civilization. Wild 

 ducks are often tamed, which is done by obtaining the eggs 

 and hatching them under hens, when the progeny do not 

 appear to seek for or desire liberty. In two or three genera- 

 tions they begin to vary in colour ; and, doubtless, if the 

 experiment were continued long enough, the breeds we now 

 have could all be produced again in this way. It is a strange 

 fact, that it takes several generations to teach tamed birds the 

 polygamous customs of domesticated duckdom, as they at 

 first go in pairs, like their wild progenitors, but afterwards 

 the descendants lose this trait of their nature. 



The Aylesbury. — Of the many varieties of domestic ducks, 

 probably the Aylesbury is the best known, and it is found, 

 more or less, all over the country. This variety, as might 

 be supposed, takes its name from the little thrifty English 

 town, in the neigbourhood of which it is kept in such large 

 numbers. It is perfectly white in its plumage, the slightest 

 discoloured feather denoting impurity of breed, and being 

 regarded as a disqualification for the show pen. The bills 

 of birds of this variety are of a pale pink colour, and the 

 nearer they are to the delicate tinge of a lady's finger nail, 

 the better are they looked upon, whilst their legs are a bright 

 orange. They are certainly the most easily acclimatised of 



