ANAS SPARSA. 



BLACK DUCK. 



(Plate 56.) 



Anas sparsa, Smith, Cat. S. Afr. Mus., p. 36 (1837) ; Sharpe's ed. 

 Layard Birds of S. Afr., p. 756 (1875-84) ; Nicolls & Eglington, 

 Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 124 (1894) ; Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. 

 Mus., XXVII, p. 213 (1895) ; Woodward, Natal Birds, p. 210 (1899) ; 

 Reichenow, Vogel Afrikas, i, p. 115 (1900-01) ; Sclater, Ann. S. 

 Afr. Mus., Ill, p. 352 (1905) ; Sclater & Stark, Birds of S. Afr., iv, 

 p. 136 (1906). 



Local Names. " Edada " of the Amaxosa and Zulus, a name which 

 is also applied to other species. 



Description. The bird figured is a male. The sexes are alike in 

 plumage, but the female is a little smaller. Old birds have a 

 prominent knob on the bend of the wing. Length of a male 

 23 in. Weight 2 J lb. The young may always be told by their 

 whitish under-parts. 



The white patch on the neck varies from a nearly complete 

 collar to a few white feathers, and is sometimes completely absent. 



Distribution. The Black Duck extends from Abyssinia to Cape 

 Colony through all the eastern parts of the country. In South 

 Africa it is never abundant, but is widely distributed through 

 Cape Colony, Natal, the Transvaal and Rhodesia. 



The Black Duck is hardly ever to be found on " vleis " or 

 dams, and is essentially a haunter of rivers and streams. 



I have seen them as a rule in pairs and sometimes in small 

 flocks numbering a dozen, which I suppose were the adult 

 birds with their grown-up broods. They feed, like European 

 Mallard, chiefly at night, but in rainy weather often during 

 the day as well. During the heat of the day they usually rest 

 and sleep in some shady place under overhanging branches 



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