200 Job, Ducks of Plymouth Co., Muss. [£j£ 



Probably the Pintail {Dafila acuta) is next in abundance among 

 the Anatina;. It is quite a common bird in autumn in the ponds, 

 coming often in flocks as large as forty. Most are in immature 

 plumage. The main flight is from the last of September to the. 

 middle of October. 



Aside from the Blue-winged Teal, I would rank the Mallard 

 (Anas boschas) next in comparative abundance. It is a much 

 commoner bird in this section than is generally known. It regu- 

 larly visits all the larger ponds, mostly in small bunches, or strag- 

 glers with flocks of the Dusky Duck, yet not infrequently in good 

 sized flocks. The only exact figures of its capture to which I can 

 refer are from Mr. Bassett, at Nippenickett. This year the stand 

 took eight, singles or from small bunches, seeing a number more 

 that escaped, and also a flock of twelve that would not decoy, but 

 were accurately observed through field glasses. In 1894 nine 

 were taken, and in the autumn of 1893 about twenty, when they 

 were unusually abundant. Mr. C. C. Wood, the Superintendent 

 of the Plymouth Rock Trout Company, a taxidermist and collector, 

 who has had long experience with the ducks in the Plymouth ponds, 

 regards the Mallard as " a common straggler," occurring every 

 fall. In general, it is a regular and by no means uncommon species. 



The American Widgeon {Mareca americana) occurs much as 

 does the Mallard, though perhaps rather less commonly. For the 

 past three autumns it has been much scarcer than usual, yet even 

 then it appeared in small numbers in most of the ponds. Mr. 

 Bassett has not infrequently shot into flocks of as many as twenty. 

 Mr. Wood has, until within three years, found single ones in 

 flocks of the Dusky Duck. He has noted no large flocks in the 

 Plymouth ponds, such as are seen in Nippenickett. 



Both species of Teal occur, mostly early in the fall, yet some- 

 times lingering late. In the past season I saw a Green-wing on 

 Nov. 26. The Blue-wing is much the commoner of the two, 

 though rapidly becoming scarce. Not many years ago large 

 flocks were common, whereas now it occurs mostly singly or in 

 small bunches. The Green-wing is quite scarce. Some of the 

 stands have not taken them, until the past autumn, for many 

 years. There was seemingly an irruption of this species in the 

 fall of 1895. At Nippenickett they were taken five or six times, 



