DUCK.
Canard, FR Anitra, IT.
Ente, Schatzchen, GER. Anade SP. Battah, . . . . HIND. Urdek, . . . . TURK.
The domesticated duck is a descendant from the common wild duck, the Anas boschas. Its domestication has beeu accomplished in compara tively recent times, for it was unknown to the Egyptians, to the Jews of the Old Testanaent, or to the Greeks of the Homeric period. About eighteen centuries ago, Columella and Varro speak of the necessity of keeping ducks in netted enclo sures, like other wild fowl, so, even then, there was danger of them flying away. The A. boschas is met with in all the northern parts of Asia, Europe, and America. The domestic duck is polygamous. Young ducks are injured by beim* allowed to swim in water. The domestic breed's are the Common duck, the Flat-billed, Call and Penguin duck, 'Arlesbury, Tufted, Hook-bill, and Labrador duck ; but though breeding in remote southern latitudes, where the mallard is unknovv-ii, the domestic breed always shows parts of the wild. Certain ducks breed on cliffs or trees, and they must carry their young to the water, though this has not been observed. A large red duck is the emblem of fidelity with the Raiputs.
Tadorna vulpanser, the Common Shieldrake of Europe, Asia, N. Africa ; is common in the Panjab, not rare in Lower Bengal.
T. tadornoides, Australian Shieldrake, Australia.
T. variegata, Paradise Shieldrake, New Zealand. Aix galericulata, Mandarin Duck, China. \ Casarca rutila, Ruddy Shieldrake, N. Africa and S. Asia.
Dendrocygna arcuata, Whistling Duck, Java.
Spatula clypeata, or Anas clypeata, the Shoveller, northern regions, N. Africa; tolerably common in
India.
Anas strepera, the Gulwall, the northern reg,ions and Barbary; tolerably common in India.
A. acuta, the Pintail Duck, northern regions and Barbary, and is very common in India.
A. boschas, the DIallard, the northern regions and Barbary ; in India, is confined to Sind, Panjab, and the Himalaya and its vicinity, replaced southward by A. pmcilorhyncha.
A. crecca, Querguedula crecca, Teal of Europe, Asia, Barbed), ; common in India.
A. penelope, Mareca penelope, Widgeon of Europe, Asia, N. Africa ; common in India.
A. precilorhyncha, the Spotted-billed Duck.
Aythya ferina, the Pochard of the northern regions and Barbary ; common in India.
A. nyroca, 1Vhite-eyed Duck of Europe, Asia, N. Africa ; common in India.
Fuligula marila, Scaup Pochard. of the northern regions ; occurs in Panjab, Sind, Nepal.
F. cristata, Tufted Duck of Europe, Asia, Barbary ; common in India.
Ducks are sacred to the worshippers in China of a canonized being, Hong-yuen-shuee. The ducks on the river at Canton are so trained, that, when feeding in the fields, on being summoned to return by the whistle of their owner, they all waddle hastily back. They are similarly trained on all China rivers. Flocks of ducks are herded there. The herdsmen live in small boats, and drive the ducks from place to place during the day, sending them borne in the evening.—Mont gomery, p. 262 ; Frere; Antipodes, p. 248 ; Darwin; Blyth ; Jerdon.