Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-29
RARE BIRDS.
Augusta Man the Owner
Of Bifurcated Ducks.
Are Strange in Appearance, and
Stranger in Habits.
Kill Potato Bugs and Grasshoppers and
Are Living Bsrometers.

If reports are true. one of Augusta =
citizens, who maintains a well stocked
poultry yard. not on account Of the
money there is in u. but because of the
pleasure il affords him to study the
habits Of that type If gallinaceour
biped known as the common hen. has in
his flock II group Of three representa-
tivcs Of the feathered inhabitants of
the earths surface that are very rare
and as far as is known they are the
only birds of the kind now existing in
Maine.
The birds were sent to him by q
friend, from the southeastern part Of
New England, and at first glance
would be called ducks, although. strict
ly speaking. they are not ducks, &c
cording to theory. being, hybrids, o.!
ne result of a cross between q domes-
tic goose and a wild duck, of the varie-
" known as black duck They are
called ducks, however, b;furcated
ducks. because Of the PECULIAR forma
ton Of the rear toe on their feet, which,
instead of being single toe. such as is
found on other birds. is divided to It's
entire length. being really two toes.
The group consists of two ducks ana
IL drake. and in general appearance
they resemble the larger varieties d
domestic ducks, except that their necks
are longer, and that their plumage
bears, to marked degree, the color
and markings of that of a black duck.
1t is by closer examination that thei.
difference from other ducks becomes
apparent.
t1Gi ic
than that of the domestic duck. and is
bright yellow, with d narrow black
strive running the length of the upper
mandible. and another popularity Of
the beak is that the upper mandible
bears a groove on the under side, which
'its over a cone shaped ridge on the
lower nlandible ana enables the bird
10 crush some Of the hard substances
which comprise a pol tion Of its diet.
Another noticeable feature about the
bifurCated ducks is he eyes. they be-
ing beautiful shade of red. The drake
has the green head which characteristics
the male Of the common duck, and the
green terminates in a white collar, as
in the mallard. and also has the curlei
Tail feathers. but instead Of curling up
ward, they curl side wise. and with
third feather which grows between
.her,l. rre sent suggestion of fieur-
ellis Their wings are very long, but
The birds have not as Yet shown any
inclination to fly. more than to and
from the roost
For hey 10 roost, j"st as hens, but
ave to have 4 fat perch. on account
" their feet which would experience
ONE difficulty in SrasNirG a perch OF
he ordinary kind. But though the
1ifurcated duck uSaS perch. as does
the hen he will not ass ociate with her.
and the three ducks iii question are
cery exclusive. They have their end of
the perch. and about Two feet of perch
10 spare. and if a hen or rooster Ven
lures inside that two foot limit, there is
trouble in an instant.
That the ducks were bothered, at
first. in making their neighbors keep
their distance. was evidenced by bunch
IS of hen feathers under the perch, ana
the appearance of some OF the hens in
4 somewhat decollette state, but now
that the two factions have reached an
understanding. it is said that there is
no further trouble.
When it comes. to the question OF
feeding. it is said. the ducks are almost
self supporting. and only in the winter
time do they have 20 be fed. They are
not early risers. and do not leave the
perch until the hens are down. and
out of the way. Then they descend, and
go out for the day. The man who owns
them has a half hogshead sunk in the
ground ana filled With water, and il
this water the ducks take swim.
very morning. before starting out for
their breakfast.
Their diet consists almost entirely Of
bugs. although they are very fond of
he tender sprouts If the cat tail flag,
and also of young frogs At some dis
lance from the house Of the man who
owns the ducks is a small bog. and
during the past summer. it is said that
those ducks used to stand for hours on
the edge of the bog. watching for frogs.
In erasshopper time, it is said. they
proved themselves very useful in catch
ing the insects, and destroyed countless
thousands of them during the season.
In fact. it seems as if the ducks We're
endowed by Nature for grasshopper
catchers. for according to the narrator
who furnished the material for this
statement, the feet Of the ducks are
50 constituted that they can be infiat-
cd. which allows the duck to steal upon
his prey without noise, and pick him UP
before he has time to hop
The ducks have also proved very
useful in the potato field, in destroying
the potato bugs. They destroy both the
beetle and the larvae it is said, de-
vouring the latter and crushing the