184 



Brewster, Afi Undescribed Form of Black Duck. 



[Auk 

 Apr. 



relating to the original coloring of their bills, legs and feet. As 

 the more brilliant tints of these ' soft parts ' fade soon after death, 

 and eventually nearl)' or quite disappear, they are not available in 

 comparisons of dried skins unless recorded by the collector soon 

 after his birds are killed. 



A careful study of this material has convinced me that the large, 

 red-legged bird differs sufficiently from true ohsciira to stand as a 

 distinct subspecies, which may be briefly characterized as follows : 



Anas obscura rubripes, new subspecies. 

 Black Duck. 



Red-legged 



Suhspecific characters. — Similar to ^. obscura but larger; the feathers 

 of the pileum conspicuously edged with grayish or fulvous ; the dark 

 markings on the fore neck and the sides of the head coarser, blacker and 

 more sharply defined ; the entire throat usually streaked or spotted with 

 blackish; the tarsi and toes bright red; the bill yellow. 



Tj/Je, No. 30252, $ ad. Collection of William Brewster, Lake Unibagog 

 (New Hampshire shore), October 8, 1889 ; W. Brewster. 



Habitat. — Occurring during migration or in winter on or near the 

 Atlantic Coast from Newfoundland to Virginia (Cobbs Island); in the 

 interior as far to the south and west as Arkansas. Summer range not 

 definitely known but breeding specimens examined from Northern Labra- 

 dor, James Bay and the west shore of Hudson Bay. 



Measurements. 



I have had repeated opportunities for comparing the two forms 

 when living or immediately after death. They are sufficiently 

 unlike in respect to size and proportions, as well as in coloring, to 

 be distinguished, under favorable conditions, at more than gun- 

 shot distance when flying, and when freshly killed and placed 

 side by side they may be separated at a glance. The larger bird 

 usually has the entire bill (excepting the nail) yellow, varying from 



