MaUard 37 



Distribution. — The greater part of the northern hemisphere of the 

 Old and New Worlds ; in America breeding north and west of a line 

 drawn from Lov.er California to about western Pennsylvania and thence 

 north to Hudson Bay, and wintering over the greater part of the 

 United States, esjiecially in the lower Mississippi Valley and Mexico 

 as far as Mexico City. 



The Mallard is the most abundant Duck in Colorado ; it is not un- 

 common in winter ; it breeds throughout most of the State from the 

 plains to about 9,000 feet, and it is still more abundant on migration, 

 especially in the fall. 



It is a common summer resident as well as a winter bird at Barr 

 near Denver, it breeds in South and Middle Parks (Carter) and in Estes 

 Park (Kellogg) and in Mesa co., along the Grand River, in Plateau 

 Valley from about 6,000 feet to 9,000 feet on Beaver Creek at its head 

 (Rockwell). 



It is an early migrant ; the spring flight takes place from about 

 March 5th to 25th, and the retm-n from October 15th to the end of 

 the month ; it has been observed on migration throughout the whole 

 State. 



Habits. — This, the Wild Duck par excellence, is far 

 the commonest of all the Ducks, not only in most of 

 North America, but also in the Old World. It is un- 

 doubtedly the original progenitor of our domestic Ducks, 

 and will often cross with them ; though monogamous 

 in a wild state, it soon becomes polygamous when 

 domesticated. It is essentially a fresh-water Duck, 

 seeking its food in swamps and marshes rather than in 

 large bodies of open water, and feeding on snails, frogs 

 and aquatic insects, but chiefly on grain and vegetable 

 matter. It is therefore, as a rule, well flavoured and 

 sought after for the table. The nest is placed on the 

 ground in the grass near the edges of ponds or marshes > 

 and is made of grass, leaves and weeds, loosely put 

 together and lined with feathers or down. The eggs, 

 6 to 10 in number, are bufEy or whitish, usually with a green 

 tinge. They measure 2-30 x 1"60. Dille gives the 

 second week in May as the average time for fresh eggs 

 near Denver. 



