1 3D BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRJ59. 



i 



That bird for whom many a harp hath been strung; — 

 Whose warble enraptures the old and the young ; — 



{sometimes jive times) in a year. See the House Sparrow's 

 Speech. Geese eat grass as well as many other vegetables, fish 

 and worms. In the domestic state, one gander is sufficient for 

 five geese. Besides the well known noise of geese called 

 cackling, the gander is peculiarly distinguished by his hissing. 



The Moschata or Muscovy Duck, is larger than the wild 

 duck ; length two feet two inches ; bill red ; body varied with 

 black, brown, white, and green-gold ; in a completely wild 

 state, the whole plumage is black, glossed with violet or green; 

 in our menageries, the plumage is sometimes white : domesti- 

 cated in almost every country. Found in a wild state about 

 the lake Baikal, in Asia, and in Brazil. When at large, it 

 builds on the old stumps of trees, and perches during the heat 

 of the day on the branches of those which are well clothed. 

 Naturally very wild, yet when tamed, associates sometimes 

 with the common duck, the produce a mongrel breed. Eggs 

 rounder than the common duck; in young birds, inclined to green; 

 they lay more eggs and sit oftener than the common duck, hence, 

 and from its hardiness, the breed deserves encouragement. 

 Flesh good. They exhale, a musky odour from the gland on the 

 rump, whence the name is supposed to be derived rather than 

 from the region of Muscovy — but this seems to me a forced 

 construction for the etymology of its name. 



The Boschas, Wild Duck, called also sometimes Mallard, 

 is found on lakes, in marshes, and at the mouths of salt water 

 rivers in different countries ; and in Lincolnshire and Somerset- 

 shire, where great numbers are taken in traps, called Decoys ; 

 in the west of England, Coy-Pools. It breeds constantly in 

 the marshes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and most probably in 

 many other districts of this country. The Tame Duck is the 

 wild duck domesticated. There are several varieties; it is ge» 

 nerally of an ash-colour; the middle tail feathers of the male 



