. The poultry book : a treatise on breeding and general management of domestic fowls : with numerous original descriptions, and portraits from life . tle barley; in afew days they demand no care, being perfectly able to shift forthemselves; but ducks at any age are the most helpless of theinhabitants of the poultry-yard, having no weapons with whichto defend themselves from vermin, or birds of prey, and theirawkward, waddling gait precluding their seeking safety inflight; a good, stout, courageous cock, and a sharp little terrierdog, are the best protectors of your poultry-yard. The oldduck is
. The poultry book : a treatise on breeding and general management of domestic fowls : with numerous original descriptions, and portraits from life . tle barley; in afew days they demand no care, being perfectly able to shift forthemselves; but ducks at any age are the most helpless of theinhabitants of the poultry-yard, having no weapons with whichto defend themselves from vermin, or birds of prey, and theirawkward, waddling gait precluding their seeking safety inflight; a good, stout, courageous cock, and a sharp little terrierdog, are the best protectors of your poultry-yard. The oldduck is not so brave in the defence of her brood as the hen;but she will, nevertheless, although Mr. Waterton thinksotherwise, occasionally display much spirit. I have witnessedthis repeatedly, and I recollect a striking painting, illustrative THE DOMESTIC DUCK. 141 of my remark, by that eminent artist, Charles Grey, repre-senting a chick rushing furiously on a magpie, which hadtransfixed a duckling with its talons. Grey, 111:6 Landseer,never paints from imagination ; he never depicts scenes thatcould not happen, and he is a close observer of THE AYLESBURY DUCK. The bird here portrayed is a faithful likeness of a duck inmy possession, from the stock of Mr. Giles, of Giles says of these fowls : — The breed I brought outwith me from England are white, with white bills ; theirflesh is of a beautiful white, weighing from ei^fht to ten pounds 142 THE POULTRY-BOOK. per pair when full grown. They are considered a rarity inLondon, commanding one third more price than any otherducks brought to market. The pair of these ducks which T obtained of Mr. Giles arecertainly extraordinary birds. They are now only about tenmonths old. The duck commenced laying in February, andhas at this date, (March 4th, 1850,) laid twenty-seven eggs,and they are very large, for a 3oung duck. All things con-sidered, I deem these ducks to be worthy of a place at thehead of their race. Col. Tho
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublisherbosto, bookyear1856
