12 THE GAME BIRDS 
patch, framed in black and white. The fe- 
male is dusky brown and mottled with darker. 
In the summer the drake loses his green head, 
but can be easily distinguished from the fe- 
male by the wing patch and the upcurled tail. 
Eyes brown; feet reddish; bill black, spotted 
with orange. Length 2 feet. Extent 3 feet, 
or a little less. Average weight of males 2 
lbs. 9 oz., females a little less. 
Habitat— The whole of the Northern 
Hemisphere. They are not at all common in 
New England, but are very plenty on the 
inland lakes and rivers, as they are essentially 
fresh-water birds. 
This species is the progenital stock of our 
domestic duck, and has no doubt often been 
mistaken for such by gunners. They hybrid- 
ize easily with the Black duck, and such 
