156 The Mallard. — Anas hoschas. 



of brownish wliite, elegantly intersected with each other ; belly, pale brown, 

 barred with dusky, in narrow lines ; sides and vent, the same tint, spotted 

 with oval marlvs of dusky ; flanks elegantly waved with large semicircles of 

 pale brown ; sides of the vent, pure white ; under tail-coverts, black ; 

 back, deep brownish black, each feather waved with large semi-ovals of 

 brownish white ; lesser wing coverts, a bright light blue ; primaries, dusky 

 brown ; secondaries, black ; speculum, or beauty spot, rich green ; tertials 

 edged with black or light blue, and streaked down their middle with white ; 

 the tail, which is pointed, extends two inches beyond the wings ; legs and 

 feet, yellow, the latter very small ; the two crescents of white, before the 

 eyes, meet on the throat. 



" The female differs in having the head and neck of a dull dusky slate, 

 instead of the rich violet of the male ; the hind head is also whitish ; the 

 wavings on the back and lower parts, more indistinct ; wiug, nearly the 

 same in both." 



The specific name is Latin, (Discors,) harsh or jarring, probably in 

 allusion to the hoarse quack of this species. 



AKTICLE XXYL—On the Mallard, [Anas hoschas) 



Anas Boschas, (Linn,) The Mallaed. 



Specific Characters. — Male, head and neck deep green, a white rin^ 

 round the neck ; breast, brownish chestnut ; back, brownisk 

 black ; belly and sides, pale grey, crossed by fine undulating 

 lines of darker colour; speculum, purple and green; bill, 

 greenish yellow ; feet, orange red ; rump, black, green, and 

 purplish blue ; some of the tail feathers curled ; general 

 appearance, similar to that of the tame drake. Female, 

 yellowish, spotted with dusky brown ; male, 24, 36 ,- femahy 

 22. Inhabits and breeds throughout North America. 



This fine bird so much resembles certain varieties of the common domes- 

 ticated species, that the sportsman, when seen in possession of them, generally 

 brings himself under the suspicion of having committed a depredation upon 

 some neighbouring farm yard. Li the part of Canada where we are writing, 

 in the valley of the Ottawa, they are not so common as many other species. 

 They are only rarely seen in om' immediate vicinity. Sir John Eichardson 

 says they abound in the Hudson's Bay Territories, breeding in the woody 

 district up to their most northern lunits, in lat. 68 ° . It is there migratory 

 across the continent, common on the Sascatchewan in summer, but spenda 

 the winter in the South. Wilson thus describes the species : — 



" The Mallard, or Common Wild-Drake, is so universally known as 

 scarcely to require a description. It measures twenty-four inches in length, 

 by three feet in extent, and weighs upwards of two pounds and a half ; the 

 the bill is greenish yellow ; irides hazel ; head, and part of neck, deep glossy 



