14G TJiC Black DucJc. — A7ias ohscura* 



The subjoined description of the Robin is taken from Audubon's Syn- 

 opsis of the Birds of America, page 89 : — 



Turdus migratorius, Linn. Migratoiy Thrush. — Robin. 



Male with the bill yellow, the upper part and sides of the head black ; upper 

 parts dark grey with an olivaceous tinge ; quills blackish-brown, margined with 

 light grey ; tail brownish-black, the outer two feathers tipped with white ; three 

 white spots about the eye, throat white, densely streaked with black ; lower part 

 of fore neck, breast, sides, axillars, and lower wing-coverts reddish-orange ; abdo- 

 men white ; lower tail-coverts dusky, tipped with white. Female witii the tints 

 paler. Young with the fore neck, breast, and sides, pale-reddish, spotted with 

 dusky, the upper parts darker than in the adult. Bill at first dusky, ultimately 

 pure yellow. 



Male, 10, 14. Female, 9, 13. 



From Texas eastward and northward, to the Fur Countries. Throughout 

 the interior. Wmters in abundance in all the Southern States. Columbia Kiver. 

 Abundant. 



Robin, Turdus migratorius, "VVils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 35. 



Turdus migratorius, Bonap. Syn. p. 75. 



Merula migratoria, Red-breasted Thrush, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. 

 y. ii. p. 176. 



American Robin or Migratory Thrush, Turdus migratorius, Nutt. Man. r. 

 i. p. 338. 



American Robin or Migratory Thrush, Turdus migratorius, AuD. Orn. 

 Biog. V. ii. p. 190 ; v. v. p. 442^ 



Merula migratoria, DeKay, Nat. Hist., New York. 



ARTICLE XXII. — On Black Buck, [Anas ohscura) 

 Genus Anas, (Linn,) 



Geneei€ Charactep.s. — The bill depressed or flattened towards the 

 end ; the upper mandible with a small ovate beak ; the nostrils elliptical and 

 situated near the ridge of the bill, behind the centre of its length ; 

 feet short, stout, placed a little behind the centre of the body ; hind toe 

 very small, third toe longest, fourth a little shorter, but longer than the 

 second ; tail short, much rounded, of 14 to 19 feathers. The name of the 

 genus is Latin, Anas., a Duck. 



Anas obscura, (Black or Dusky Duck.) 

 Specific Characters. — Male, hlackish-hrown; female, lighter- 

 brown ; male, 24.%, 38 1^ ; female, 22, U%. Inhabits Narth 

 America, from Texas to Hudson's Bay Territories. 



The following particulars concerning this fine bird were obligingly 

 prepared for us from his own observation by Mr. Wm. P. Lett, of Ottawa,. 

 an ardent and skilful sportsman, and who, in the amount of his knov»ledge 

 of the water-fowl that visit this portion of Canada, has few, if any equals. 

 Mr. Lett says : — 



" The Black Duck is one of the largest species of the duck tribe which 

 visits Canada. It generally makes its appearance here about the 5th of 

 April, and remains throughout the summer until the latter end of October, 

 when it leaves for the South. Few, however, are to be met with in the 

 breeding season, which extends from the 20th of May till the 15th of August. 

 The young are then able to fly, and are much easier to approach than at any 

 othsr scasoiL 



