THE MUSK DUCK. 
249 
October; and the following spring, just previ¬ 
ous to planting or sowing, lightly harrow 
lengthwise with the furrows. In plov/ing wet 
meadows, in addition to the lock coulter, some 
use a reversed cutter, inserted near the end of 
ihe plow beam, just back of the wheel, as 
shown in Fig. 70. The object of this is, to cut 
the sod quicker and more perfectly than the 
lock coulter is able to do it. The wheel can 
only be used in tolerably level and smooth 
land. 
A draft rod is attached to the centre of the 
beam of the sward D plow, (as shown in the 
cut,) which will bear a much stronger pull than 
an ordinary clevis. This rod passes through 
a crane, or dial clevis, which regulates the depth 
of plowing; it can also be gauged at any given 
distance from the side of the beam, thus ena¬ 
bling the off ox or horse to keep clear of the 
miry open furrow, so fatiguing to him, and tread 
on the firm unbroken ground. This renders it 
comparatively easy work for the team, and ob¬ 
viates the great objection to breaking up wet 
meadows. It also enables the plowman to run 
close along side of a fence or ditch, and thus 
plow the entire surface of the field. The price 
of this plow varies from $12 to $18.50, according 
to the fixtures required. 
THE MUSK DUCK. 
The Musk Duck.—Fig. 71. 
The musk duck, (improperly called Muscovy 
duck,) so termed from the strong scent of musk 
which its skin exhales, is undoubtedly the type 
of a genus very distinct from that of the com¬ 
mon kind. In this species, the feathers are 
large, lax, and powdery; the cheeks are exten¬ 
sively naked, and the base of the bill is carun- 
culated. This duck greatly exceeds the ordi¬ 
nary kind in size, and the male is far larger than 
the female. The general color is glossy blue- 
black, varied more or less with white; the head 
is crested, and a scarlet fleshy space surrounds 
the eye, continued from scarlet caruncles at the 
base of the beak. Tail destitute of the curled 
feathers so conspicuous in the tail of the com¬ 
mon drake. In a wild state, the drake is of a 
brownish-black, with a broad white patch on 
the wings, the female being smaller and more 
obscurely colored. But in a state of domesti¬ 
cation, it exhibits'^ very variety of color, like 
the common duck. 
The tropical regions of South America are 
the native country of the musk duck, which 
may account for its dislike to a cold bath in our 
northern climate. Its frizzled crest is analogous 
to that of some curassows, natives of the same 
continent. It is fond of warmth, passing the 
night, at the north, not in the open air, but in 
the fowl house with the cock and hens; and 
selecting by day, the most sunny corner to bask 
and doze in. 
“ Can a duck swim ?” is a pert question some¬ 
times asked with little expection of an answer 
in the negative. Here, however, is a duck, which, 
if it can swim, performs that action in such a 
clumsy way as hardly to deserve the name of 
swimming. Those who expect that its singular 
appearance would render it a curious, if not an 
elegant companion, among our more attractive 
ducks, will be disappointed ; for it will never 
go near the water, if it can help it, but will pre¬ 
fer the farmyard, the precincts of the kitcken, 
or even the piggery itself, to the clearest stream 
that ever flowed. In fact, it hates water, except 
some dirty puddle to drink and drabble in. 
When thrown into a pond, it gets out again as 
fast as it can. It does, indeed, sometimes seem 
to enjoy an occasional bath, and so does a spar¬ 
row or a Canary bird. Its very short leg does 
does not appear to be mechanically adapted 
for the purpose of swimming. It waddles on 
the surface of a pond as much as it does on 
dry land ; it is evidently'out of its place in 
either situation. Its proper mode of locomotion 
is through the air; its congenial haunts are 
among the branches of trees. 
The female of the musk duck has considera¬ 
ble powers of flight, and is easy and self-pos¬ 
sessed in the use of its wings. It is fond of 
perching on the tops of bafns, walls, &c. Its 
feet appear, by their form^to be more adapted 
to such purposes than those of most other ducks. 
If allowed to spend the night in the hen house, 
the female will generally go to roost by the side 
of the hens, but the drake is Too heavy to mount 
thither with ease. His -claws are sharp and 
long; and he approaches the tribe of “ scratch¬ 
es,” (rasores,) in an unscientific sense, being 
almost as dangerous to handle incautiously as 
an ill-tempered cat; and will occasionally adopt 
a still more offensive and scarcely describable 
means of annoyance. He manifests little affec¬ 
tion to his female partner, and none towards 
her offspring. The possession of three or four 
mates suits him and them, better than to be 
confined to the company of a single one. He 
bullies other fowls, sometimes by pulling their 
feathers, but more frequently by following them 
close, and repeatedly thrusting his face in their 
way, with an offensive and satyr-like expression 
of countenance; or salaciously pursuing them, 
whether male or female, until he has accom¬ 
plished his purpose, or at least, has made an 
attempt. 
The musk duck, though a voracious feeder, is 
easily fattened, a prolific breeder, and conse¬ 
quently, may be profitably reared. The male 
pairs readily with the common tame duck, pro¬ 
ducing, by the union, a hybrid, or mongrel, 
which is incapable of “ breeding in a line.” The 
female, however, will pair with the common 
drake and produce a good sort. The hybrid 
generally has a deep-green plumage, and is des¬ 
titute of the red caruncled membrane on the 
