ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 167 



In the Jspring and fall the Mallards frequently range over stub- 

 ble-fields and corn-fields, particularly in the evening and early 

 morning, picking up grain that has fallen on the ground. Some- 

 times, in early spring, large flocks are delayed by snow and sleet 

 storms, and fall an easy prey to gunners. The Mallard appears 

 early in the season — from early March until May, usually, — and 

 lingers in the fall until the streams and ponds freeze over, often 

 until December, in the northern part of the state. 



31, (133). A uas ohcura Gmal. Black Duck. 



This species has recently been divided into two forms {.Inas 

 obscura Gmel. and A)ias obsaira nibripcs Brewst.) and it is prob- 

 able that some of the records refer to the latter form. I have no 

 positive proof of rubripcs having been taken in Iowa. 



The Black Duck is principally a bird of the Eastern states, par- 

 ticularly the Atlantic coast, and Iowa is very near the western 

 limit of its range. Stragglers, however, have been taken as far 

 west as Nebraska and Kansas. 



J. A. Allen states that it is "not uncommon in summer along 

 the rivers and in grass)^ ponds" (Mem. Bost. Soc, i, 1868, 50). 



County records: Blackhawk — "rare transient" (Sali-sbur}^) ; 

 "has been known to occur two or three times in the county" 

 (Peck); "rare migrant; .specimen in Iowa State Normal School 

 museum" (Walters). Cerro Gordo — specimens have been taken 

 at Clear I^ake, according to Richardson and others (Anderson). 

 Delaware — (Mrs. M. A. Triem). Des Moines — Two specimens in 

 the University museum; male, March 21, 1892; female, March 

 22, 1893, taken at Burlington b}- Paul Bartsch. Jackson — "rare 

 transient" (Giddings). Lee — "migrant; irregular in numbers and 

 occurrence' ' (Currier); ' 'rare migrant; Keokuk district' ' (Praeger). 

 Pottawattamie — Mills — "rare migrant; Manawa L,ake, Oct. 20, 

 1894; Oct. 30, 1895. Mi.s.souri River, Iowa side (Mills) Oct. 29, 

 1896, and Nov. 2, 1896 — birds killed by myself and others from 

 flocks of Anas boschas" (Trostler). Poweshiek — "rare transient" 

 (Kelsey). Webster — "rare. In the .spring of 1893 a few were 

 reported, and in May, 1897, one was killed here and brought to 

 me for identification. It was about normal except neck slightly 

 barred and lining of wing black rather than dusky" (Somes). 

 Winnebago — "rare; took a young male in my collection at Rice 



