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Show COLORED Good Qualities Make This Erecd Most Dssirable. Fine Market Bird, but Does Not Mature Ma-ture as Early as Does the Pekin or Aylesbury Is Hardy and Prolific. ( (By G. E. HOWARD.) The Colored Rouen duck is deservedly deserv-edly popular throughout this country, and is considered one of the most profitable varieties to keep. These ducks are said to have come originally from the city of Rouen, in Normandy. It is known that large quantities of poultry are raised in Normandy, and while there may be no positive proof that these ducks came originally from that city, large numbers of birds! closely resembling them are to be found in the market places there. Some writers claim, that the nams should be "Roan" owing to their color, but'really the color itself does not support this contention. The Rouen duck is a fine market bird, but does not mature as early a-s does the Pekin or the Aylesbury. Tho flesh is considered very delicate and the breed is acknowledged to be excellent ex-cellent for table purposes, being easily fattened. The Rouen will be found a profitable bird to raise on the farm being hardy, prolific, quiet of disposition, dispo-sition, and of very beautiful plumage. Their eggs are not as large as those of Trio of Colored Rouen Ducks. the Pekin, and are diverse in color. The Rouen is undoubtedly closely related to the Mallard duck; its plumage alone would make good this belief. But the shape of the domesticated domesti-cated Rouen duck has been greatly modified from that of the wild Mai-, lard, the body is grown longer and heavier, with a tendency to drop down in the rear, the wings have lost the power of flight which the wild ancestor an-cestor possessed. 'The plumage, however, how-ever, remains almost the same. . Both the drake and duck clothed in plumage attractive and pleasing to the eye, are as much fancier's fowls as any of the varieties of chickens, yet they are of much value as market birds. The only objection to them, aside from their slow maturing qualities, is that of dark pinfeathers. This should not stands against them any more than it does against the many valuable varieties varie-ties of chickens that have dark plumage plum-age and dark pinfeathers. To the farmer far-mer who intends raising ducks for market purposes they are to be recommended. |