will further help to bring light to the minds of the
uninitiated. If the bird be a young duckling, it may be carved like a
fowl, viz., by first taking off the leg and the wing on either side, as
described at No. 1000; but in cases where the duckling is very small, it
will be as well not to separate the leg from the wing, as they will not
then form too large a portion for a single serving. After the legs and
wings are disposed of, the remainder of the duck will be also carved in
the same manner as a fowl; and not much difficulty will be experienced,
as ducklings are tender, and the joints are easily broken by a little
gentle forcing, or penetrated by the knife. In cases where the duck is a
large bird, the better plan to pursue is then to carve it like a goose,
that is, by cutting pieces from the breast in the direction indicated by
the lines marked from 1 to 2, commencing to carve the slices close to
the wing, and then proceeding upwards from that to the breastbone. If
more should be wanted than can be obtained from both sides of the
breast, then the legs and wings must be attacked, in the same way as is
described in connection with carving a fowl. It may be here remarked,
that as the legs of a duck are placed far more backward than those of a
fowl, their position causing the waddling motion of the bird, the
thigh-bones will be found considerably nearer towards the backbone than
in a chicken: this is the only difference worth mentioning. The carver
should ask each guest if a portion of stuffing would be agreeable; and
in order to get at this, a cut should be made below the breast, as shown
by the line from 3 to 4, at the part called the "apron," and the spoon
inserted. (As described in the recipe, it is an excellent plan, when a
couple of ducks are served, to have one with, and the other without
stuffing.) As to the prime parts of a duck, it has been said that "the
wing of a flier and the leg of a swimmer" are severally the best
portions. Some persons are fond of the feet of the duck; and, in
trussing, these should never be taken off. The leg, wing, and neckbone
are here shown; so that it will be easy to see the shape they should be
when cut off.

[Illustration: LEG, WING, AND NECKBONE OF DUCK.]

BOILED FOWL.

[Illustration: BOILED FOWL.]

[Illustration: LEG, WING, AND NECKBONE OF FOWL.]

1000. This will not be found a very difficult member of the poultry
family to carve, unless, as may happen, a very old farmyard