THE SUCK. 



make it a credit to the poultry-yard, while its broad and deep 

 breast, and its ample back, convey the assurance that your 

 satisfaction will not cease at its death. In parts of Bucking- 

 hamshire, this member of the duck family is bred on an exten- 

 sive scale; not, however, as might be naturally imagined, en 

 plains and commons, but in the abodes of the cottagers. Bound 

 the walls of the living-rooms, and of the bed-rooms even, are 

 fixed rows of wooden boxes, lined with hay ; and it is the busi- 

 ness of the wife and children to nurse and comfort the feathered 

 lodgers, to feed the little ducklings, and to take the old ones 

 out for an airing. Sometimes the " stock " ducks are the cot- 

 tager's own property, but it more frequently happens that 

 they are intrusted to his care by a wholesale breeder, who 

 pays tim so much per score for all ducklings properly 

 raised. To be perfect, the Aylesbury duck should be plump, 

 pure white, with yeUow feet, and a flesh-coloured beak. 



Every one knows how awkward are the AnaUdce, waddling 

 along on their unelastic webbed toes, and their short legs, 

 which, being placed consi- 

 derably backward, make the 

 fore part of the body pre- 

 ponderate. Some, however, 

 are formed more adapted to 

 terrestrial habits than others, 

 and notably amongst these 

 may be named Dendronessa 

 gponsa, the summer duck of 

 America. This beautiful bird 

 rears her young in the holes 



of trees, generaUy overhang. atlesbtot dtjom. 



iHg the water. When strong enough, the young scramble to 

 the mouth of the hole, launch into the air with their little 

 wings and feet spread out, and drop into their favourite ele- 

 ment. Whenever their birthplace is at some distance from the 

 water, the mother carries them to it, one by one, in her bili, 

 holding them so as not to injure their yet tender frame. On 

 Btsveral occasions, however, when the hole was 30, 40, or more 

 yards from a piece of water, Audubon observed that the mother 

 suffered the young to fall on the grass and dried leaves beneath 

 the tree, and afterwards led them directly to the nearest edge 

 of the next pool or creek. There are some curious varieties of 

 the domestic duck, which only appear interesting from their 

 eingularity, for there does not seem to be anything of use or 



