Norman Douglas:
"The family of the Anatidae seems to be favoured of mankind, and this much may be said in extenuation of the young man's proclivities that the swan is a comely bird. Not for nothing was it chosen by the Father of the Gods on a certain memorable occasion. If Zeus had transformed himself into a duck, Leda would hardly have succumbed to his charms.
"Yet ducks are also attractive fowls, as any Chinaman will tell you. They have a veritable cult of them in that country, and that is why European residents refuse to eat them.
"The last line may explain why the Thames swans are no longer served at banquets, as they were in the days of Queen Elizabeth. They are reserved for other, and perhaps worthier, purposes. Spanish geese are apt to be crotchety:
Or Take Your Pick:
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