Management of Ducks. 143 



buy eggs and hatch them, or buy the ducklings, when very 

 young, and rear them. But, granting that the place is 

 suitable, then in rearing the birds, those intended for early 

 killing require to be treated in a different fashion, to those 

 that are to be kept for future breeding purposes, or to be sold. 

 If birds destined for the table are fed upon foods that develop 

 bone, or that which is offal in the birds when they are killed, 

 then there is a direct waste, for these things cannot be eaten, 

 and prevent the laying on of that flesh, which is, or should be, 

 the aim and object of fattening. But, on the other hand, to 

 feed birds that have to be reared to maturity, on flesh-forming 

 foods alone, would be equally as foolish, for, in that case, there 

 would not be sufficient bone to support the flesh, and, though 

 the bird might apparently thrive for a time, it would begin to 

 fail before long, and probably die. It must be clearly under- 

 stood, that an undue forcing of any part of the nature of the bird, 

 caunot but be at the expense of some other part ; consequently, 

 if too much prolonged, the balance of the system is upset, 

 and the bird dies. This is the reason why birds, when fattened, 

 begin to go back and lose flesh, if the process is extended 

 too much, and the fact that feeding continuously on food of 

 a fattening nature induces disease, would appear to show 

 that the statement of those scientific men, who say that all 

 fat is a disease, has something to support it, although it may 

 be that it is the excess of fat, and not the moderate quantity 

 of it, that really causes disease. 



When keeping ducks for breeding purposes it is best to 

 give them a running stream, if it be convenient to do so, for 

 this is much better than a pond, but one or the other is 

 indispensable. Two ducks should be given to one drake, or, 

 if the birds are young ones and of a vigorous breed, five ducks 

 may be given to two drakes. Drakes are not to be relied 

 upon for breeding purposes when more than two years old, 

 and it is better, therefore, not to keep them after that age, 



