What is a Duck's Foot?

M. Johnson wanted to know what a duck's foot is.

The duck's foot is an appendage usually found on the lower surface
of a duck.  However, if your duck is upside down, or from Australia,
then the duck's foot can be located along the upper edge of the
duck.  There is some confusion about this point in the literature,
since the feathers on the upper edge of an erect duck are referred to
as "upside down."

Also along the lower edge of the duck, often concealing the
duck's feet, is a large amount of condensation, referred to as
"water," a potable beverage. Most orchestra musicians prefer a duck
with two feet, referred to as the "double" duck, although there
are those who favor "single" ducks, as well as the authentic
"natural" duck. In Vienna, they favor the "Viennese" duck, which
is, of course, a mallard.  This is not to be confused with the
egregious mallarphone. There is also a significant literature for
the "rubber" duck, in E.

Wagner required a special quartet of tenorducks for The Wing of
the Nibelung.  You can hear them playing the ominous "Fate" motif,
sometimes called  "Duck's Fate". Curiously enough, Wagner's
opera The Flying Algerian is not about ducks at all.

Your web-footed friend,
The Cabbage