62 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



ducks, its habitat being nearly cosmopolitan, almost everywhere domes- 

 ticated. It is the original of our barn-yard duck. A common bird in 

 North America at large, breeding sparingly throughout the United 

 States. In the sloughs and meadow marshes of the northern tier of 

 states this duck breeds more or less abundantly in the month of June. 

 Rare in New England, scarcely found beyond Massachusetts, and is re- 

 placed farther northeast by the Black Mallard, or Dusky Duck. 



Mr. A. M. Shields writes me that this is, perhaps, the most com- 

 mon of the ducks in the vicinity of Los Angeles, Cal., breeding from 

 the first of April to the last of June, selecting for its nesting place the 

 tall grass in fields not far from a lake or river. The eggs are six to 

 ten in number, pale, yellowish drab, or olivaceous-green, but most 

 generally the latter color when fresh ; elliptical ; average size, 2.25 x 1.25. 



133. Anas obscura GMEL. [602.] 



Black Duck. 



Hab. Eastern North America, west to Utah, Texas, north to Labrador, breeding from the Northern 

 United States northward. 



The Dusky Duck, or Black Mallard, is much less common in the 

 interior than along the Atlantic coast. The characteristic and one of 

 the commonest ducks of New England, where it breeds at large, and 

 from thence northeastward, but is most numerous during the migra- 

 tions. The eggs are from six to twelve in number, usually seven or 

 eight; are elliptical, or nearly so in shape; measure about 2.30x1.70, 

 and vary from pale buff to pale greenish-buff. Incubation period 

 is from the last of April to the early part of June. The nest is placed 

 on the ground, in grass or rushes in the neighborhood of ponds, pools, 

 and streams, in meadows and sometimes in swamps. It is a large and 

 neatly arranged structure of weeds and grass, nicely hollowed and lined 

 with down and feathers from the breast of the bird.* In rare instances 

 it has been known to nest in the hollow of a tree, or a " stub " project- 

 ing from the water of a swamp. Mr. Frazar found the nest of this 

 Duck in Labrador usually placed upon the " outreaching branches of 

 stunted spruces," which are seldom higher than four feet. The bird 

 may be known by its resembling the female of the Mallard, A. boschas, 

 but darker in color. 



134. Anas fulvigula. RIDGW. [603.] 



Florida Duck. 



Hab. Florida; Kansas. 



This is a local, lighter colored species, which is resident in Flor- 

 ida. They are smaller than the northern birds. The eggs are de- 

 posited during the first and second weeks in April. They are similar 

 to those of the Black Mallard, but smaller, averaging 2.15x1.61. 



* Oology of New England, p. 96. 



