BIRDS OF THE CAMBRIDGE REGION. 103 



that a wing-broken specimen was caught alive on the ice at Spy Pond on 

 December 20, 1896, and Mr. O. A. Lothrop saw a solitary bird on October 25, 

 and another on December 22, 1898, in Fresh Pond, where I also noted one on 

 November 20, 1899. These instances are all that I can give of the occurrence 

 of the species in the Cambridge Region within the last ten years. 



ig. Anas boschas Linn. 

 Mallard. 



Of regular if sparing occurrence in autumn during tlie past nine years, especially at Fresh 

 Pond. No early records for tlie Cambridge Region. 



SEASONAL OCCURRENCE. 



October ig, 1900, one ad. male seen. Fresh Pond, O. A. Lothrop. 

 December 26, 1900, one ad. male seen. Fresh Pond, W. Brewster. 



During the earlier years of my shooting experience the Mallard was un- 

 known to our local gunners, and everywhere throughout New England was 

 considered a rare bird. Within the past decade, however, it has become a regu- 

 lar and not uncommon visitor in autumn to several localities in eastern Massa- 

 chusetts, especially to certain of the ponds near Boston. 



My first record for Fresh Pond is that of a female which I saw on Decem- 

 ber II, 1S97, in company with five Black Ducks and a pair of Green-winged 

 Teal. On October 25 of the following year a single drake was seen by Mr. O. A. 

 Lothrop. In 1899 from one to three birds were almost constantly present 

 between October 30 and December 25, and on November 20 two adult males 

 were seen together ; after this date there was a single drake, often accompanied 

 by one and occasionally by two females. Hence at least four different birds 

 must have visited the pond that autumn. In 1900 a drake in full plumage 

 appeared on October ig and was seen at frequent intervals up to December 26. 

 My only record for 1901 is that of an adult male which I noted on November 

 21, and for 1902 that of a female seen by me on December i. 



All these Mallards were, no doubt, attracted to Fresh Pond by the ever 

 present Black Ducks, in whose company they were invariably found. Some of 

 them tarried for a day or two only ; others remained considerably longer ; and 

 in 1899 and 1900 at least one bird — a drake — stayed on week after week 

 until the pond was completely closed by ice. Doubtless he learned to appreciate 



