Fig. 7.—Pair of White Call ducks.
History.—Call ducks are bantams, and are bred more for the fancy than for the profit there is in them for market. There are two kinds of Call ducks, the Gray Call and the White Call ([fig. 7]), and it is only a choice of plumage as to which is the better of the two. They are both of one character as to size, shape, and habits, and differ only as regards color. The Gray Call is very similar in color of plumage to the Rouen, and is indeed called by many the Bantam Rouen, and the White is generally called the Bantam Pekin. Their uses are only for the showroom, or as decoy ducks for wild-duck shooting. For the latter purpose they are sometimes crossed with the common "puddle duck" or with the wild Mallard. This latter cross is considered excellent, the progeny being distinguished for tameness and domesticity.
Description.—When breeding Call ducks, smallness of size is the first consideration; the smaller they are bred the better. The arts of skillful breeding for the showroom are being used in keeping down the size of these ducks. Inbreeding has been resorted to, while late hatching, scanty feeding, and nonbone-making food have been the means that have retarded their natural development.
The head of the Call duck is full and round; bill, short and broad; neck of medium length, and back comparatively short; the breast is round and full, and body short, round, and compact, with medium-sized wings; the thighs are short and stout, and shanks short.
The Gray Call drake is a beautiful little bird, with a rich, lustrous green head, dark-hazel or brown eyes, lustrous green neck, with a white ring on the lower part of neck, as in the Rouen. The back is of ashy-gray plumage mixed with green on the upper part, while the lower part and rump are a rich, lustrous green. The under part of the body on the sides is a beautiful gray, which grows lighter toward the vent, and ends in solid black under the tail. The wings are grayish brown, mixed with green, and have the broad ribbon-like mark of rich purple with metallic reflections of green and blue, distinctly edged with white. The primaries are a dark, dusky brown. The tail feathers are of a dark, ashy brown, the outer web in old birds being edged with white; the tail coverts are black, with very rich purple reflections. The bill is greenish yellow in color, while the shanks, toes, and webs are orange, with a brownish tinge.
The duck's head is deep brown, and has two pale-brown stripes on each side, like the head of the Rouen duck, running from the bill to a point behind the eyes. Her bill is of a brownish-orange color, and her eyes are dark hazel or brown. The neck is light brown, penciled with darker brown; breast, dark brown, penciled with lighter brown; back, light brown, marked with green, and the under parts and sides of body are grayish brown, each feather distinctly penciled with rich dark brown. The plumage of wing is grayish brown, mixed with green, and is crossed by a broad bar of rich purple edged with white; the primaries are brown. The tail feathers are of a light-brown color, with distinct, broad, wavy penciling of dark greenish brown; tail coverts are brown, with broad penciling of dark brown or greenish brown; thighs are dark brown; shanks, toes, and webs are orange brown.
The White Gall is pure white in plumage throughout, and feathers of any other color will disqualify it. It is in every respect like the Gray Call except in plumage, in the color of the eyes, which are a gray or blue, and the color of the shanks, which are a bright orange.
Weight.—No standard weight is given for Call ducks.