Rouen Ducks. 
539 
and a reasonable feed of the seasoned diet seems to brighten them up considerably after a 
journey. 
It is never to be forgotten that ducks which have been even fed up to the greatest weight 
for exhibition purposes, are rarely any use for breeding afterwards ; almost never, after one or 
two “crammings” as well. For breeding, they should be selected with great frames, but not 
over-fattened. Such birds invariably produce the largest progeny. 
In America yellow bills are considered permissible for Aylesbury Ducks, though in England 
tantamount to disqualification. There is a reason for this in the great power of the summer sun 
on the birds if let out in the United States, while the heat is too great to keep them in. Under 
these circumstances it is almost impossible to keep the bills pale, unless under exceptionally 
advantageous conditions, such as having the run of a thick wood ; the rule is, therefore, 
relaxed almost of necessity. 
THE ROUEN DUCK, as we have already stated, almost exactly resembles the Wild Duck, 
or Mallard, in its plumage, but has by domestication lost the light and graceful shape of its 
ancestor, in exchange for a thicker and heavier build and greater aptitude to fatten. For a long 
time this variety was always inferior to the Aylesbury in weight at Birmingham Show— that great 
test of relative claims — but years ago they began again* to approach the old champion breed, then 
equalled it, and finally passed it ; since which Rouens have weighed heaviest on every occasion we 
can remember. For farmers, and perhaps in the average of circumstances, we believe the Rouen is 
the most profitable breed ; though, owing to its later periods of breeding and of maturity, it is not 
so well adapted for the peculiar London trade previously described. 
For our notes on this breed we must again express our obligations to Mr. J. K. Fowler. 
“The Rouen Duck, which is only second to the Aylesbury as a celebrity amongst our domes- 
ticated water-fowl, most probably, as its name suggests, came originally from the city of Rouen, 
in Normandy ; though some ingenious persons have tried to show that the name should be ‘ roan,’ 
and think that it was so called on account of its colour ; though why that particular colour should 
be pitched upon from the many various ones its plumage contains it is hard to guess. It is far 
more probable that it is correctly called ‘Rouen,’ and that ‘ roan’ is a corruption; for we know what 
quantities of poultry are raised in France, and Normandy is the most celebrated of the French 
provinces in this respect. We have, however, no proof that the breed of ducks in question are 
especially the product of Rouen, though you may always see a large number of them, or, at any 
rate, birds closely resembling them, for sale in the market-place of that glorious old city. 
“ They are not less hardy than the Aylesburys, but do not come to maturity quite so early. 
Their flesh is very delicate, and they can be made to fatten to quite as great a weight as the 
Aylesburys. In appearance they should resemble as closely as possible the common Mallard, or 
Wild Duck ; but the breast of the drake must now be of a deeper claret-brown colour. The 
following points in respect of colour must be attended to for exhibition purposes : the drake 
should have a clear bill of yellow, with a slight greenish tinge ; a bright yellow is objectionable, 
and, on the other hand, a leaden colour is a fatal defect. The shape of the bill should be as 
* We say “began again,” because Mr. Hewitt writes us that many years ago he beat all other ducks in weight with Rouens. 
“At several of the earliest Birmingham Shows,” he says, “ I exhibited Rouens that not only won in their own class, but outweighed 
all other ducks. Emulous to see what weight I could attain, I purposely fed up with milk and Scotch oatmeal, and exhibited a 
pen of two ducks and a drake at thirty-two and a quarter pounds, being about five and a half pounds heavier than the same ducks 
were the preceding year. This overfeeding caused them, even when reduced to breeding condition, to ever afterwards lay shell-less 
eggs, and from that time not a duckling was raised from them — a tolerable caution against excessive feeding.” 
