Duck

The ducks proper are distinguished from the swans comprised in the same family, by having shorter necks; and from the geese, also of the same family, by having shorter necks, and legs le strong and placed farther back. They also subsist largely on insects and other animal food, while the geese and swans live mostly on vegetable food. Among the ducks we may mention mallard, or common_ wild duck, which is found both in Europe and America. This is the original stock of the domesticated duck, and appears to have been reclaimed at a very early period. It is found in nearly every fresh-water lake and river in the greater part of the United States and in the West Indies. The flesh of the wild duck is held in general estimation, and various methods are resorted to in order to obtain these birds in quantities. The musk duck, erroneously called muscovy duck, is the largest of the duck kind, and approaches nearly to the size of a goose. It has obtained its name from a strong smell of musk which exhales from its body, and not because it comes from Ru ia, as has been supposed, since it is a native of. South America. The musk ducks are tamed in great quantities in the West Indies, and are found wild in Guiana. where they nestle on the trunks of trees, close to the water’s edge. They feed much on a plant called wild rice, and are difficult to approach. The canvasback duck is peculiar to the United States, and was known to the epicure long before it was described by the naturalist. The can- Dack; vasback ducks arrive in the United States from the N. about the middle of October, and principally a emble in the numerous rivers in the neighborhood of Chesapeake bay. On the Susquehanna they are called canvasbacks, on the Potomac white backs, and on the James sheldrakes. The eanvasback is constantly attended by another species, the American widgeon which manages to make a good subsistence from his labors. This bird is extremely fond of the tender roots of that particular species of plant on which the canvasback feeds. The widgeon which never dives, watches the moment the canvasback rises, and before be has his eyes well opened, snatches the morsel from his mouth, and makes off.: Among other species of ducks are the shoveler, remarkable for the strange form of its bill; the gadwall, which is more rare in America than in Europe; pintail or sprigtail, remarkable for the form of its tail, abundant | jn both* hemispheres; black or dusky duck, peculiar to America, and very abundant, is perhaps the most sagacious and timid of all the American ducks; summer or wood duck, not more remarkable for its great beauty in which it stands preéminent, than for its habits, its migrations being di- Tectly opposed to those of the other species; teal, eider.duck; velvet duck, found in both hemispheres; its flavor is rank and fishy, and it is therefore seldom sought after; scoter, found both in Europe and America; pochard or redhead; common to both continents; it approaches very near to the eanvasback in delicacy; its usual weight is about 1%, pounds; scaup duck or bluebill, a well known and common species in both continents; long tailed duck, or old wife; common to both continents, remarkable for the long and slender middle feathers of its tail; and the harlequin duck; a magnificent species found on both continents; it derives its name from the singularity of its markings; along the oT of New England it is called the lord.