58 DUCK. 



given according to the size of the duck, and her ability to cover 

 them. The duck requires Bome care when she sits; for as she 

 oai^not go to her food, attention must be paid to place it before 

 her; and she will be content with it, whatever be its quality^; it 

 has been remarked that when ducks are too well fed, they wiU not 

 «it well. The period of incubation is about thirty days. 



WUD DVCE. 



The duck is apt to let her eggs get cold, when she hatches 

 aiid many thereby are lost, this together with the fact of her 

 often leading the ducklings into the water immediately after 

 they are excluded from the shell and thus losing many if the 

 weather is cold, often induces poultry keepers to have duck eggs 

 hatched by hens or turkey hens; and being more assiduous thsui 

 ducks, these borrowed mothers take an affection for the young, 

 to watch over, which requires great attention because as these 

 are unable to accompany them on the water, for which they show 

 the greatest propensity as soon as they are excluded, they follow 

 the mother hen on dry land, and get a little hardy before they 

 are allowed to take to the water without any guide. 



The best mode of rearing ducklings depends very much upon 

 the situation in which they are hatched. For the first monfli, j 



