BLACK DUCK EGGS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 310, 28 November 1936, Page 5

BLACK DUCK EGGS.

A PECULIARITY OF NATURE. For two seasons, a duck owned by Mr and Mrs E. Turner, of 237 Ferguson Street, Palmerston North, has been laying eggs, almost jet black in colour, and a further peculiarity is that two ducklings hatched from the only two black eggs in one sitting bore a distinct resemblance to the colour of tho shells they left. Nine such eggs were shown to a “Standard” reporter today. i,ast October, the duck, a-rblack and white one, was a year old, Mr Turner explained, and in the previous July the bird had commenced laying dark grey eggs, the colour gradually becoming deeper until it was distinctly black by the latter part of August. This year the duck again opened her laying season in July, but on this occasion the eggs were almost jet black and have steadily become lighter. The eggs being lard now are dull in colour with here and there a tinge of deep grey. When one was scratched this morning it was found that the colour had not impregnated the whole of the shell, but was on the outside only. Other eggs laid at the same place are quite normal in colour, with no other peculiar features. Because the inner skin of the eggs is somewhat tough, the ducklings were assisted from ‘.he shells and it was seen then that the two black eggs had produced black ducklings. One lias now a brilliant black coat of feathers.

The food of all the ducks is the same and Mrs Turner said that there appeared to be no reason why one duck should lay eggs different from the others.