The Duck Mimic

(This tune is called "Glarryg'samba," given to us through the Glarryg Pages. We thought it would be a nice tune to accompany a duck-like creature, at least until we can find a better one.)

The Glarryg Institute for the Propagation of Science-Related Knowledge (located in beautiful Palm Brains, Florida) has recently released its findings in conjunction with the discovery of a new species of reptile. Pictured below is a sketch of the Duck Mimic, a creature closely related to the common gecko, but which inherently resembles a duck:

Duck Mimic Vital Statistics:

• Scientific name: Gekkonid nonplatyrhynchos
• Height: 1' at the shoulder
• Length: 2'
• Weight:10-15 lbs.
• Coloration: Males=grayish-brown, white abdomen, dark green head w/ white "collar;" Females= brown, with black streaks along back
• Diet: Omnivorous, feeds largely on mosquito larvae
• Nesting: 8-10 eggs per clutch
• Habitat: Shallow waterways in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio

The Duck Mimic is, by reptilian standards, a strange animal. In addition to being uncharacteristically omnivorous, they seem to have something of a social structure in that large groups, or "flocks," of these creatures can be seen feeding at times. The females seem to take care of their "brood" for a period until the young are old enough to fend for themselves.

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Duck Mimic Sightings

The Duck Mimic is a rare creature to find, and is difficult to distinguish from a common mallard. Scientists at the Glarryg Institute for the Propagation of Science-Related Knowledge had to evaluate not only several pieces of tangible data (nesting sites, droppings, etc.), but numerous eye-witness reports as well. Below are some of the more noteworthy Duck Mimic sightings on record at the Glarryg Institute:

• "I thought I saw a duck stick its tongue out, like when a lizards tastes the air, but maybe I was wrong." --Biff Cunningham, 40-year-old lawyer
• "I was at my favorite fishin' pond one summer thirty-odd years ago when I done saw this duck-lookin' thing come a-waddlin' up towards me; seems he was lookin' for somethin' to eat. He's just a-quackin' away like he don't have a care in the world, and when he gets closer, I see his feathers don't look like feathers at all. They's just real long scales or somethin'. I tell you, you don't get the willies much worse than seein' a scaly duck. I ran home and never went back to that pond again." --Horatio Hornswaddle, 67-year-old professional fisherman
• "It looked a lot like a duck; I'm not kidding." --Joan Louden, 46-year-old journalist