366 ANATJD^. 



varieties of our domestic Ducks ; but whereas the male of 

 the wild species is strictly monogamous, those of our most 

 common domestic forms are polygamous ; moreover, the 

 females are very prolific, one Duck having been known to 

 produce a hundred and eighty eggs in one season. The 

 Mallard has bred with the Egyptian Goose, Sheld-Duck, 

 Muscovy Duck, American Dusky Duck, Wigeon, Pintail, 

 Teal, and other species. As remarked by that keen observer, 

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

 have coarser feet; and gradually the wings, which in a really 

 wild bird reach, when closed, nearly to end of tail, get 

 shorter in proportion to the body. A Mallard is stated by 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney to have lived twenty-two years. 



The Mallard may be called resident in Great Britain and 

 Ireland, some being found there at all seasons. It visits 

 Greenland ; is abundant in summer in Iceland ; and is 

 generally distributed over the whole of Europe, breeding in 

 suitable localities, down to the Mediterranean and Northern 

 Africa. Enormous numbers visit the southern extremities 

 of its range in winter ; and its migrations extend to the 

 Canaries, Madeira, and the Azores, a few pairs remaining to 

 breed in the latter group. In Asia it is found wherever the 

 water does not freeze for any length of time, from Turkestan 

 to China and Japan ; it breeds in Cashmere ; and goes as 

 far south as Calcutta in winter. Its range extends right 

 across the temperate portions of North America ; but in the 

 north-east of that continent it is to a certain degree replaced 

 by a closely-allied species, the Dusky Duck, Anas ohscura, 

 both male and female of which much resemble the female 

 of our bird. In winter the Mallard has been traced as 

 far south as Panama. In the Sandwich Islands there is a 

 distinct species, A. wyviUiana, Sclater, which is rather closer 

 to A. ohscura, and also to A. siqicrciUosa of Australia. 



In the adult male the bill is yellowish-green ; irides 

 hazel; head and the upper half of the neck rich glossy 

 green ; below that a narrow ring of white ; the neck be- 

 hind and the back greyish chestnut-brown, becoming dark 

 on the lower part of the back, and bluish-black on the rump 



