BLACK DUCK 101 



of those which have been most noticeably reduced. As the supply of 

 Mallards in California is probably dependent to a large extent on the 

 birds raised within the state, it is only natural that the annual toll 

 taken by the hunter has caused a very noticeable decrease. Compared 

 with such ducks as the Redhead and Wood Duck, however, the decrease 

 in tlie number of Mallards has been slight. 



Two things, at least, give hope that this duck will continue to 

 exist in large enough numbers to supply the demands of the sportsman, 

 if these demands are reasonable. One is the fact that this duck soon 

 learns to keep out of gunshot and the other the fact that the bird will 

 content itself with a small amount of water and will even nest where 

 the only water is an irrigation ditch some distance away. This latter 

 point suggests that the increase of agriculture, with the attendant 

 development of irrigation, may not have so deleterious an effect on the 

 Mallard as would at first be supposed, especially if the birds are not 

 molested during the breeding season. Although the Mallard is in no 

 immediate danger of extermination in this state, yet the present 

 annual toll taken is too great to be maintained very many years with- 

 out endangering the existence of the species. By reducing the bag 

 limit and shortening the season it should be possible as with other 

 game to adjust the annual toll to the rate of production. 



Black Duck 



Anas nthripes Brewster 



Other names — Black Mallard; Dusky Duck; Anas obscura. 



Description — Adults, both sexes: Whole head and upper surface dusky brown, 

 variegated with pale rusty brown feather edgings; top of head darker than 

 sides and throat, the latter narrowly streaked with dusky on a pale brownish 

 gray ground; a dusky stripe back from eye; iris brown; bill yellowish green; 

 outer surface of closed wing like back biit with a faint gray tinge; flight 

 feathers blackish; speculum changeably steel blue and violet, framed in black; 

 under surface of wing mostly white; under surface of body like back but 

 paler, due to wider edgings of dusky on feathers; feet orange red, webs darker. 

 Total length "21.00-24.50" inches (533-622 mm.) (Eidgway, 1900, p. 91.) 

 Female: folded wing 10.60 (269); bill along culmen 2.02 (51.3); tarsus 1.63 

 (41.4) (one specimen from California). Juvenile plumage: "Similar to adult, 

 with bill more of a greenish hue and streaked with dusky" (Sanford, Bishop 

 and Van Dyke, 1903, p. 79). Natal plumage: Whole top of head dark brown, 

 with a yellow cast on forehead; side of head, chin and throat, brownish white; 

 stripe from side of bill through eye to above ear region, brownish black; above 

 this a stripe of pale yellowish brown; rest of upper surface, brown; hind 

 margin of wing yellowish white, as also a pair of spots on back behind wings 

 and another pair on each side of rump; foreneck pale yellowish brown; rest 

 of under surface dull white. 



