1910] The Ottawa Naturalist. 159 



December, 1908 (17 seen), 12 January, 1909 (3 seen). The bulk 

 of the species, however, arrive from about April 6th to 18th. At 

 Arnprior Mr. H. U-. Morris saw a female with eight young on 

 June 12th, 1909. 



22. Mergus serrator, Red-breasted Merganser. A much rarer 

 migrant and breeder than the preceding. Breeds in the sloughs 

 and ponds near Templeton, where on June 20th, 1897, Mr. G. 

 White saw ten young able to follow their mother. Dates: April 

 1st, October 20th. 



23. Lophodytes cucullatus, Hooded Merganser. A common 

 summer resident and abundant migrant. In autumn many are 

 brought to the market by gunners. Like the American Mer- 

 ganser it breeds in cavities in hollow trees or stumps. Dates 

 from April 3rd (1906), to November 6th (1905). 



24. Anas platyrhynchos, Mallard. A regular but rare spring 

 and fall visitor. Much less common than farther west or south. 

 On April 6th, 1909, Mr. E. Bedard saw one and on October 19th 

 and November 6th, 1905, Mr. E. White saw several in Lochaber 

 Bay, near Rockland. 



25. Anas rubripes, Black Duck. The old well-known and 

 well-beloved Black Duck, Anas obscura, has of late been made 

 into two species, A. rubripes and A. tristis,. the Red-legged and 

 the Black-legged Black Duck, by Mr. WilHam Brewster, of 

 Cambridge, Massachusetts. He claims for the red-legged kind 

 larger size, more northerly breeding range and some differences 

 in coloration from the other, the black-legged species. Other 

 authorities, like Dr. Dwight, of New York, claim that these 

 differences are only due to difference in age, so that there would, 

 after all, be but one species. Without entering into a discussion 

 of this matter here, we can say that, if there are two kinds, we 

 have both. However, most of the Black Ducks shot in this 

 vicinity are the large, red-legged kind, Anas rubripes. This is a 

 common migrant and breeder here, arriving from the 2nd of 

 April on, and some staying well into November (17th, 1909). 

 They breed in sloughs and similar localities. 



26. Anas tristis, Black-legged Black Duck. In October, 

 1908, Mr. E. Bedard captured two from a small flock and kept 

 them alive for a long time. One had blackish feet and bill, the 

 other red legs and green bill; both, however, were of small size, 

 and both were taken from what seemed to be one family. This 

 would lend color to the contention that these differences are but 

 phases in the appearance of the one species. 



Anas platyrhynchos, Anas rubripes or tristis, Brewer's 

 Duck. The hybrid form between Mallard and Black Duck is one 

 of not too infrequent occurrence here. 



27. Chaulelasmus streperus, Gadwell. Rare accidental visitor. 



