The Muscovy or Musk Duck . 
543 
northern regions, including both America and Europe, and probably even Asia, the Musk Duck is 
found wild only in the warmer regions of South America. In Brazil it is extensively domesticated, 
and is indeed the duck of the country ; and it is also domesticated throughout both England and 
great part of Europe, particularly in Germany. The name is derived from an odour of musk 
which pervades the skin, but which is not present in the flesh when cooked ; and Muscovy is 
obviously only a corruption of this term. 
The Wild Musk Duck is stated by all travellers to be a very active bird, even flying to the 
trees when alarmed, and passing the night in the same situation, perching upon the branches ; 
which again marks a very wide distinction between Cairina Moscha and Anas boschas. The nest, 
too, is sometimes built in the branches, sometimes in a hollow near the water. Some observers 
have stated that they rear two broods, one in May and one in September, but this is uncertain. 
Before pairing the males fight desperately, during which they “ make the feathers fly ” to such an 
extent as to cover the ground at the scene of combat, and this quarrelsome disposition is strongly 
inherited by the domestic race. 
The general colour of the Musk Duck is black-and-white, not variegated, but in large patches ; 
but we have also seen pure white, pure black, and a kind of blue dun. The feathers seem very 
loose, looking as if half had moulted and the rest were just ready to drop out ; but the most 
peculiar and distinctive characteristics are about the head, the cheeks being naked, with a scarlet 
fleshy space round the eye, and the base of the bill caruncuiated also with scarlet. The head of 
the drake is very large, and these appearances are in him far more conspicuous, and give to him, 
in conjunction with a peculiar leer we have never seen in any other creature with feathers on, an 
aspect almost diabolical. The drake is very large, having been known to reach ten, eleven, and 
even twelve pounds, and is destitute of the curled feathers common to other ducks — again marking 
distinctness of species — but the duck generally averages only about six pounds, and we never knew 
one over seven and a half pounds. This again is characteristic of the variety. 
The flesh of the Musk Duck is very good when eaten young, but it does not lay nearly so 
many eggs as the common kinds. They are also awkward birds to keep, the temper of the drake 
being simply abominable. He persecutes every creature he can manage, and has been known to 
attack children; as to other ducks, he is fond of seizing them by the neck and holding them under 
the water till they are drowned, if in any way they “ rise his dander.” We recollect well an old 
rascal which belonged to a relative, and was kept in a yard with some Dorkings. The first time 
the drake attacked him the Dorking cock showed fight, but was quickly demolished, and after that 
the drake made the poor fellow’s life a positive burden to him. His favourite mode of offensive 
warfare was to rush at the poor Dorking like a battering-ram, and knock him clean off his legs, 
trampling over him as he fell ; and we often wished in a half-hearted way for a good sharp-fighting 
Game Cock to teach him a lesson or two. For these and other reasons, the Musk Duck can 
hardly be called a profitable variety ; but a cross is often large and of good flavour. 
Several so-called varieties of ducks, such as the Hooked-bill Duck, distinguished by its curved 
bill ; the Crested Duck, with a top-knot ; and the Penguin Duck, marked by the downward 
position of its posterior extremity, need nothing beyond notice. They are noways remarkable 
either for use or ornament, being simply occasional “sports” perpetuated by the art of man. We 
shall see in the next chapter that crossing two breeds of geese frequently produces a small crest ; 
but whether the Crested Duck was originally produced in a similar manner it is impossible to say. 
THE CAYUGA DUCK, or large Black Duck of North America, should properly have been 
