380 ~0!%AClTHOLOg<r. Book III. 



I 



Chap. IV. 

 Of Tame Ducks. 



J. L 



The common Tame Duck^: Anas domeftica vulgaris. 



r T is called by the Greeks, Nrfora, or NM*., from the Verb ^ fignifying, to fwim : 

 As Anas alfo by Varro is derived from no, zw, to fwim. It is a Bird every where 

 known, and therefore it would not be worth while to beftow many words in ex- 

 actly defcribing it. It is lefs than a Goofe, almoft as big as a Hen, but much lower, ha- 

 ving abroad, flat Bill, abroad Back, fhort Legs, fituate backward, that in fwimmi/g 

 it may more jirongly Jirike the water with the jinny oars of its Feet : As Arijiotle rightly. 

 Hereupon they become lefs convenient for walking, fo that this Bird goes but flovly, 

 and not without fome difficulty. Ducks vary infinitely in colours, as do Hens, and 

 other tame fowl. 



Between the DucJ^ and the Drake there is this difference, that he hath groving on 

 his Rump certain erect feathers reflected backwards toward the Head, which {he 

 hath not. The Duck^ lays twelve, fourteen, or more Eggs as big as Hens Eggs, and 

 white, with a light tincture of blue or green, the Yolk being of a deeper and redder 

 colour. 



The belt Phyficians ( faith Aldrovand ) difallow the flefh of thele Birds, becaufe 

 they are hard and of difficult concoction, and agree not with the ltomach : We rather 

 think them difagreeable to the ftomach, for their moiftnefs and clamminefs than for 

 their hardnefs, whence alfo they are apt to produce excremcntiti'ous, grofs, and me- 

 lancholic humours. The flefh of wild Ducks is preferred before that of tame, as be- 

 ing more favoury and wholfbm. 



The Drake hath a certain bony veflel or buble at the divarication of its Wind- 

 pipe, which, we are wont to call a labyrinth 5 of the ufe whereof we have laid as 

 much as we thought fit, in the firitBook at the end of thefecond Chapter. 



Of the vertnes and ufe of the Duck,., and its parts in Phyfic, out of Schroder. 



1. A live Duck affwages Colic pains, the feathers being pluckt off, and the naked 

 part applied to the Belly. 



2. The Fat heats, moiftens, mollifies, digefts, difcuiTes. Therefore is of ufe ir. 

 inward and outward pains, viz,, of the fides and joynts, in the cold diftempers of the 

 Nerves, <&c. 



Note. This Fat is preferred before all others, eftecially that of the wild Duck. 



*Go6dagaieft 3. The bloud is * Alexipharmacal, and hereupon is fometimes received into Anti- 



mfeftion nd dotes. It is aknown hiltory which A. Gellius in the feventeenth Book of his N>8;s 



Attics, Chap. 1 6. relates. The Pontic Duck, is faid to maintain her felf by feeding 



* A freed commonly upon Poifons. It is alfo written by Lenaus Cn. Pompeys * liberty, that 



man. Mithridates, that King of Pontus, was skilful in Phyfic, and cunning in remed.es of 



that kind: And that he was wont to mingle their bloud in Medicaments, vhich 



were of force to digeft and carry off Poifons 5 and that that bloud was the moft 



effectual ingredient in filch Confections. Moreover that the King himfelf by the ufe 



of fuch Medicines did fecure himfelf againft the fecret practices of fuch as fought to 



poifon him at Feafts and Banquets. Yea, that he would wittingly and willingly for 



oftentation fake often take a draught of violent and quick poyfbn, and yet received 



no harm by it. Wherefore afterwards when he was overthrown in battel by the 



Romans, and had fled into the furtheft parts of his Kingdom, and refolved todie,and 



had in vain made trial of the ftrongeft Poifons to haften his death, he ran himfelf 



through with his own Sword. 



4. Its dung is applied to the bites of venemous beafts. 



$.n. 



