Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/569

* DUCK. 495 DUCKBILL. in nature. In the wild state it gathers its food, consisting of llag, grasses, small (islies, water in- seets. etc., from brooks and marshes. When the birds are raised in eonliuenient this diet must, in a measure, be imitated to get the most satis- factory results. Such foods as wheat-bran, corn- meal, and beef-scrap, mi.ed with water to a mush, with grit and green food, eon-stitute the most satisfactory diet. The food must be in a soft mushy state. Too much hard food, such as grain, does not agree with these birds and they cannot thrive on it. While some raisers use a Muall allowance of grain, others do not, and it has not been proved to be of any advantage to feed it. It has been estimated that it costs from a to 12 cents a pound to raise a duck for market at ten week^of age. The cost of feed is from W2 to 5 cents a pound, and that of labor, etc., is from •t to S cents a pound. It costs from $1.75 to .$2.50 each to keep breeding ducks a year. When ducks are raised for breeders they are fed differ- ently from tboie intended for market. They are not forced as much as are the latter, and less fattening food is given them. To raise ducks suceessiully, it is not at all necessary that they should have access to water, except for drinking purposes: they grow and thrive as readily with- out. There are successful duck farms where thousands of ducks are raised without access to water, save that which is given them as drink. It has been a matter of much dis])ute which is the better way. As food, ducks are much prized, their flesh liaving a very agreeal)le flavor, when properly fattened. Ducks' eggs are larger than hens' eggs, but resemble them closely in com- position. They are much used as food, especially in Europe. The species most nearly allied to the common duck is said to be the Javanese duck {Anas Javaiiensis), nearly allied to the mallard. BiBLiOGR.vpiiY. Consult: Howard, "Ducks and Geese." in United States Department of Agricul- ture. Farmer's liuUetin (i.) (Washington. 1897) : Yorke. Our Ducks (Chicago, 1000), a history of American ducks; Hehn, Culti rated Phiiits and Domestic Animals (translated by Stallybrass, London, 1891). For wild ducks": Consult the authorities referred to under Bird.s. esijccially those books relating to northern latitudes. More special works of popular interest are Elliot. Tri7fZ Fowl of Xorth America (Xew York. ISOS) : Mor- ris, British Clame-birds and Wild-Fonl (London, 1891); Lloyd. Gameliirds and WHd-Fowl of Hweden and Xoruoi/ (London. 1807); -Job, Amonfi the Water-Fowl. descri))tions and pboto- •rraphic illustrations of breeding habits (Xew York. 1002). DUCK (Dutch dock, towel, Icel. dilkr. Ger. Tuch. cloth. Goth, qadnuka. table-companion). An untwilled fabric of cotton or linen, not so hea'y as canvas, but used for similar purposes. (See C.xv.s. ) The lighter and finer grades are u<od fnr women's and children's suits. DUCK-ANT. The local name in .Jamaica for the vliitc :int or O'miite. See Termite. DUCKBILL, or Pl-M^ypus. An aquatic, egg- laying mammal of the order Monolremata, of which only one species trnitliorlu)nchus para- doxus) is known. It inhabits the rivers of Aus- tralia. Papua, and Tasmania. The first descrip- tions of this singular quadruped were received with incredulity, and eren when a stuffed speci- men was brought lo England, it was suspected to have been ingeniously fabricated. The whole length, including bill and tail, is usually from 18 to 20 inches. The body is rather long and de- pressed, the skin loose and thickly covered with glossy hair, among the roots of which there is a layer of soft short waterproof fur like that of a beaver. The head is small and round, with small bright eyes, and no e.tcrn;il ears, although the internal ears are perfectly developed, and the hearing acute; and instead of the nuizzle, mouth, and teeth of an (U'dinarv quadruped, the creature is furnished with a bill like that of a duck, but broader in pro])ortin. This incloses the long upiXT and lower jaws within an extremely sensi- tive naked skin, grayish in color, which is mostly attached to the underlying bones, but possesses THE DUCKBILL. a flexible, lip-like border all round the mouth, and is raised into a frill-like fold round the base of the bill, which, in burrowing and searching for food in the mud, is turned back so as to protect the eyes. The nostrils are situated at the extremity of the upper mandible, so that the animal need only thrust the tip of its nose out of water in order to breathe. The lower mandible has transverse lamelUe. somewhat like the bill of a duck, and each jaw is furnished with two pairs of horny plates ('cornules') . the forward ones like sharp ridges, while those behind are broad and flat- tened. These serve the purpose of teeth for the adults ; but true cheek-teeth are present in young animals (see Proceedings of the Royal Society of DENTITION OP DUCKBILL. 1. Left upper t^ptli. the ring of indurated epithelium fitUl present. 2. Left lower teetli. 3. A similar fos.^il tooth of MicroleHtee (q.v.). 4. Diagrammatic section of a full.v de- veloped eornule. London, vols, xliii., 1888; and xliv., 1880), which ■'arc functional for a considerable part of the life of the animal, cutting the gum in the usual manner, and, after being worn