424 MALLARD. 



Dusky Duck, Anas obscitra, both sexes of which much resemble the 

 female of our bird. 



Incubation often begins in the second half of March in the 

 south of England, and a little later even on the bleak moors of 

 Northumberland. The nest, made of grass and lined with down, is 

 usually on the ground near fresh-water, though not infrequently 

 at a distance from it ; but grain-fields, hedge-rows, stacks of faggots, 

 forks or hollows of trees, and even the deserted nests of other birds 

 are more or less utilized. The 8-12 eggs are pale greyish-green 

 or greenish-buff: measurements 2*25 by i"6in. Two months or 

 ten weeks elapse before the young can fly. In the wild state the 

 Mallard is partially monogamous, but the domestic forms which have 

 sprung from it are all polygamous ; and, as remarked by the late 

 Mr. C. M. Adamson, the half-wild breeds get duller in colour, and 

 have coarser feet, while the wings — which in a wild bird reach nearly 

 to the end of the tail — become shorter in proportion to the body. 

 The Mallard is almost omnivorous and strictly a night-feeder. 



The male in full plumage has the bill yellowish-green ; head and 

 neck glossy-green, followed by a narrow white ring ; hind-neck and 

 breast dark chestnut ; across the secondaries a greenish-purple 

 wing-spot, fringed above and below with white ; rump bluish-black, 

 the four central upper tail-coverts black and up-curled, the rest 

 greyish ; belly and flanks greyish-white ; under tail-coverts velvet- 

 black ; legs, toes and webs orange-red. Length 23 in. ; wing 11 in. 

 Towards the end of May the male begins to assume a brown plumage 

 similar to that of the female, but not identical with it, while the bill 

 retains its yellowish tint ; the quills are cast simultaneously, so that 

 the bird is incapable of flight ; but by the middle of October he has 

 again acquired his full dress. Very old drakes — in semi-captivity at 

 least — lose the white collar, and half-bred birds often do not show 

 it at all. The female is smaller, and has an olive-green bill and dark 

 brown crown, general plumage mottled-brown and buff, alar speculum 

 dark green; the drake's plumage is occasionally assumed. The 

 young at first resemble the female. In a wild state the Mallard not 

 infrequently breeds with the Pintail, and in captivity with almost 

 any Duck ; varieties are not uncommon, but albinoes are rare. 



Technically the word "Mallard" may be applicable only to the 

 drake, but, on the other hand, " Wild Duck " is vague, and I agree 

 with American ornithologists in employing "Mallard" for this 

 species, and thereby avoiding ambiguity. 



