DUCK, a plain fabric, made originally from tow yarns. The cloth is lighter than canvas or sailcloth, and differs from these in that it is almost invariably single in both warp and weft. The term is also used to indicate the colour obtained at a certain stage in the bleaching of flax yarns ; it is a colour between half white and cream. Most of the flax ducks (tow yarns) appear in this colour, although quantities are bleached or dyed. Some of the ducks are made from long flax, dyed black, and used for kit bags, while the dyed tow ducks may be used for inferior pur poses. The fabric, in its various qualities and colours, is used for an enormous variety of purposes, including tents, wagon and motor hoods, light sails, clothing, workmen's overalls, bicycle tubes, mail and other bags and pocketings. Russian duck is a fine white linen canvas. The term is probably derived from the Dutch doeck, a coarse linen material.