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 yellow bill ; it breeds north of New England, and is found 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 in 

 front and behind with black and white; breast chestnut; feathers 

 under tail black ; rest of under parts silver-gray, narrowly barred 

 with black on the flanks; bill and legs yellow; feet reddish- 

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

 buff; throat buff; speculum like that of $ ; breast brownish-buff, 

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

 greenish-yellow; feet yellowish. 



The Mallard is a rare or uncommon migrant through 

 eastern New York and New England, occurring in Septem- 

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

 winters off the coast. Its habits are very 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 in good light be recognized 

 by her lighter, more yellowish under parts. 



Mergansers: Subfamily Merginae 



Three species of Merganser occur in New York and New 

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



