BIRDS OF THE FARM AND THE FARM-YARD. 429 



and the swiftest to gain the foremost position. It is ab- 

 surd to suppose that these birds in their migrations are 

 directed by the knowledge and experience of a few older 

 ones. Urged by a powerful impulse, if the old birds 

 were all destroyed, the young flock, when the proper time 

 arrived for their migratory flight, would proceed on their 

 journey as instinctively as they would konk instead of 

 crowing like a Cock. 



THE DUCK. 



Ducks are by far the most beautiful of all aquatic birds 

 in the colors of their plumage. Other genera of this fam- 

 ily seldom show any hues except a various mixture of 

 white and gray. The plumage of several species of the 

 Duck is of many colors and finely variegated. This 

 beautiful lustre is remarkable in the drake of the Mallard, 

 of the Teal, and above all of the Summer Duck. Of the 

 latter, both male and female are beautiful, and the species 

 was named by Linnaeus, on account of its beauty, sponsa, 

 a bride. Its pendent crest of green and purple hanging 

 from the back of its head; its neck of purple-crimson, 

 changing in front to a glossy brown, speckled with white ; 

 its wings and tail of metallic green, changeable into blue 

 and crimson, — its endless varieties, indeed, of changeable 

 hues cause it to surpass in beauty all the birds of our 

 woods and waters. 



It is not often that we have an opportunity of watch- 

 ing for any considerable time the manoeuvres of wild 

 Geese or wild Ducks upon the water. We must observe 

 the motions of the domesticated birds to learn those of 

 the wild ones, making allowance for less dexterity, as the 

 consequence of domestication. The flight and habits of 

 the Duck are not less interesting or picturesque than 

 those of the Goose. Their whistling flocks that pass 

 frequently over our heads . at different seasons always 



