Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-05-30
THE POULTRY YARD
DUCKS, ANCIENT AND MODERN
BY ED WEBER

reaches back to Egypt More than o.
500 years ago sculptors on tornbs Of
that time show hunters netting ducks
and others picking them and placing
them in jars where their flesh was
picked in spices and eaten without
further preparation. Unless descend
ants Of these ducks were bred in China
or some other oriental country. it is
likely that there was a long period
known.
Roman writer's who flourished about
the beginning Of the christian era men,
ton ducks as if they were only seen
in their wild state. In no place does
Columella mention domesticated ducks,
but his writings indicate that wild
ones were sometimes kept in net
covered enclosure and perhaps they
bred when thus kept captive. Cicero
mentions Matching duck eggs. under
hens, but the impression left from
reading his account is that the eggs
were from wild ducks. Assuming that
domesticated ducks were, unknown to
the ancient Romans and Greeks. 1t is
fair to assume that they were not in
ITOuuCeu uuIlIS lIS IuA SiHASS
that followed the disruption of the Ro-
man empire, which reached down thru
the dark and middle ages almost to
our own time.
History Of Domestic Duck.
It seems to be proved by negation
that the duck as a domestic fowl has
a history very much shorter than that
Of the goose. unless Chinese records
contain more ancient account than
Is to be found in the hosiery Of occi-
dental nations. At one time 1t was
commonly believed that our common
ducks were merely descendants OF the
wild mallard. found in every part OF
America and Europe. The very close
resemblance in color would lead to
this conclusion. but later investigations
tend to prove that our wild mallard Is
not to be credited with the lordly
Rouen or the toothsome Aylesbury,
structural differences denoting that
they do not come from a common par
entage. The domesticated duck is
polygamous, while the wild mallard Is
homogeneous. This. however. is not
absolute evidence Of a different origin,
as it has been noted that after Few
generations in domestication the mall
lard, becoming civilized. begins to con-
sort with q number Of females. 1t Is
not uncommon for wild bird or AMI
NAL to break into varieties after a
consi derable period Of domestication,
and In this way no doubt we may &C
count FOR the Aylesbury. a pure white
duck. with pinkish white beak and
shanks. Indeed the evidence Of albin-
ism Is more conspicuous In the Ayles-
@tf nr n
variety Of fowls.
Pekins Appear in 1885,
In 1888 new breed Of ducks was
brought to this country and England
from Pekin, China. In England these
birds were used to improve and REIN
force the favorite Aylesbury, adding to
their size, vigor and prolificacy. while
in this country they were bred In their
original purity and Immediately took
first places as the most prolific and
most rapidly maturing Of the duck
family.
america has one breed Of domesti-
Gated ducks that originated here.
These are the Black Cayugas. breed
which never gained the esteem OF mar
ket duckers. The black plumage and
small size, together with the dark
meat, has been against this breed In
country where yellow flesh Is de-
manded in all poultry.
The East Indians.
East Indians or. Call. ducks come IN
two colors. One very closely resembles
the wild mallard and the Rouen, and
the other pure white. They are not
largely bred, being too small for prac-
teal purposes. Wood ducks, very
orn amental native variety. have been
reduced to semi DEMONSTRATION and are
bred for use in parks and museums,
but are not often seen outside OF these
places The Mandarin Is the most
beautifully colored of all our birds. II
originated In China. and as specl-
men Of the skill Of Chinese poultry
breeders, excels everything else In the
poultry line 1T Is Of the size OF the
Wood duck but has so many peculiari
! ties Of color and shape that 1t would
| require a finely -colored engraving tt
give even fair .dea Of It's appearance
Very few are seen and they sell a
high prices They rarely breed In thi!
country. t-.
The Muscovy Is seemingly not alto
gether a duck. The breed Is a nativ'
Of South America, where it may still
| be found In wild state. 1t comes II
Two varieties, colored and white. TIL
colored variety comes in black, var
iously splotched with white. and tn
white Is peculiar snowy white. no
found in any other breed OF ducks. TIL
males are much. larger than the fe
males. Crested ducks have BEEF
! known for a. long time. They do no
breed very true, and good specimen
are very rare. "A few years ago
breed known as Blue Swedish was in
troduced, and doomed until they wer
! admitted to standard. Soon after the
almost disappeared We, have see
very good Blue Swedish ducks pro
duced by a first cross OF Pekin an,
Rouens, and no doubt this cross wa
used in making the breed.
Only a few years ago It seemed a
/ IL the Indian Runner duck was des
tined to play. an Important part 1
the poultry business Of this countr,
/ It was praised as the 200-egg duck an
for It's hardness and capacity to for
age. There Is place for this breed !
this country, and 1t should receiv
I, more attention than 1t has had for tn
4 last ave or six years.
A