Egg was “Off”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 653, 3 May 1929, Page 11

Egg was “Off”

White Indian Duck Observed Anzac Day COMPETITION REBELLION “To-day," said Duck 1, “is April 25, and must be observed with proper reverence. 1t is up to us to call a halt.” She preened herself righteously and chivvied her latest egg into a safe corner. “What, call a halt!” Indignation threatened to overpower her three pen-fellows. In her excitement Duck 2 allowed a captured worm to burrow thankfully into the subsoil. Duck 3 gave quack in no uncertain

terms. “Here we are, the four champions of the place, the Marvel Quartet of the Mount Albert competition, and you want to break the record. You mustn’t say such tilings. It puts me off my laying.” And so they went on. Yet Duck 1 persisted. “To-day is Anzac Day.” she explained. “An ancestor of mine had the honour of giving an Anzac indigestion on the last day of his final leave. It’s up to me. at least, to make it a day of rest.” And nothing the others said could persuade her to change her mind. So it was that a remarkable record in the Mount Albert egglaying competition was broken. The four ducks —White Indian Runners all—are owned by Mr. B. R. Arnott, a successful Auckland poultrykeeper and competition enthusiast. Despite (he sequel to the properly patriotic attitude of Duck 1, his quartet has established a record which, to his knowledge, is unique. For a fortnight before Anzac Day each bird laid an egg a day—a .distinctly unusual performance for ducks. Since April 2» they have continued with the good work, never missing a day, and are in a fair way to becoming super-cha nminns of 1 h” 4-cmnetition.