306 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



may be confused along the sea-shore, where the Scoter is 

 found from September to May. The latter, however, dives 

 for its food, while the Black Duck, when at sea, simply 

 rides the water, till the approach of dusk sends it back to its 

 feeding-ground ; it never dives. It often comes out on the 

 sand-bars and stands or squats there in company with gulls. 



Note. — The Red-legged Black Duck is a larger race, with red legs 

 and a yelloiv bill ; it breeds north of New England, and is foimd here 

 as a migrant or winter visitant. The Black Ducks seen in New York 

 or New England in summer belong to the smaller race. 



Mallard. Anas boschas 



23.00 



Ad. $. — Head and neck iridescent green, a white ring almost 

 entirely around neck, broken only on the nape; upper back brown; 

 lower back black; wings ash-gray; speculum violet, bordered iu 

 front and behind with black and white, the white showing in 

 flight ; tail nearly all white ; breast chestnut ; feathers under tail 

 black ; rest of under parts silver-gray; bill and legs yellow ; feet 

 reddish-orange. Ad. 9- — Upper parts brownish; feathers edged 

 with buif ; throat buff ; speculum like that of ^ ; breast brownish- 

 buff, spotted with black ; lower parts white, spotted with dusky; 

 tail light-colored; bill greenish-yellow; feet yellowish. 



The Mallard is a rare or uncommon migrant through 

 eastern New York and Xew England, occurring in Septem- 

 ber and October, and in jNIarch and April. It occasionally 

 winters off the coast. Its habits are verv similar to those 

 of the Black Duck, and it often associates with a flock of 

 the latter. The male is readily recognized by his resem- 

 blance to the domestic drake ; the female resembles the 

 female Black Duck, but may be recognized by her lighter 

 under parts and by the white in the outspread wing. 



Mergansers : Subfamily Merginae 



Three species of Merganser occur in New York and New 

 England. One, the American Merganser, is a bird of fresh- 



