-After having emptied and singed the duck, season it inside with
pepper and salt, and truss it. Roast it before a clear fire for about 20
minutes, and let it acquire a nice brown colour. Put it into a stewpan
with sufficient well-seasoned beef gravy to cover it; slice and fry the
onions, and add these, with the sage-leaves and lemon thyme, both of
which should be finely minced, to the stock. Simmer gently until the
duck is tender; strain, skim, and thicken the gravy with a little butter
and flour; boil it up, pour over the duck, and serve. When in season,
about, 1-1/2 pint of young green peas, boiled separately, and put in the
ragout, very much improve this dish.

_Time_.--20 minutes to roast the duck; 20 minutes to stew it.

_Average cost_, from 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d. each.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ from November to February; ducklings from April to August.

[Illustration: BUENOS AYRES DUCKS.]

THE BUENOS AYRES DUCK.--The Buenos Ayres duck is of East-Indian
birth, and is chiefly valuable as an ornament; for we suppose
one would as soon think of picking a Chinese teal for luncheon,
or a gold fish for breakfast, as to consign the handsome Buenos
Ayres to the spit. The prevailing colour of this bird is black,
with a metallic lustre, and a gleaming of blue steel about its
breast and wings.

VARIETIES OF DUCKS.--Naturalists count nearly a hundred
different species of ducks; and there is no doubt that the
intending keeper of these harmless and profitable birds may
easily take his choice from amongst twenty different sorts.
There is, however, so little difference in the various members
of the family, either as regards hardiness, laying, or hatching,
that the most incompetent fancier or breeder may indulge his
taste without danger of making a bad bargain. In connection with
their value for table, light-coloured ducks are always of milder
flavour than those that are dark-coloured, the white Aylesbury's
being general favourites. Ducks reared exclusively on vegetable
diet will have a whiter and more delicate flesh than those
allowed to feed on animal offal; while the flesh of birds
fattened on the latter food, will be firmer than that of those
which have only partaken of food of a vegetable nature.

ROAST DUCKS.

934. INGREDIENTS.--A couple of ducks; sage-and-onion stuffing No. 504; a
little flour.

_Choosing and