^^^'iS^'"] Brewster, The Red-legged Black Duck. 333 



call them ? — which Dr. Dwight viewed with such satisfaction 

 there when the momentous question as whether rubripes has or has 

 not "a leg left to stand on" was perhaps still agitating his mind. 

 Should such a suggestion be brought to the attention of the slayer 

 of the "June bird" it would be likely to strengthen his original 

 belief that the wild Black Ducks which occur on Long Island in 

 summer do not has'e red legs. For men of his sort are apt to be 

 tenacious of opinions based on personal experience — thereby 

 differing from trained ornithologists. 



Nothing that I have said in the course of the present article or in 

 any previous connection should be taken to imply that I am or ever 

 have been, absolutely assured that the Red-legged Black Duck is 

 a good subspecies. All I claim is that the bulk of the evidence 

 seems to point that way and more decidedly now than it did before 

 Dr. Dwight's article was written. As I have already explained, 

 some of his most confident statements have given me unexpected 

 comfort and support, although intended by him to serve a directly 

 opposite purpose. It may be, or course, that I have made incorrect 

 use of them and also, as he thinks, of the results of my own study 

 and observation. But that remains to be shown, for there is obvious 

 need of additional evidence more definite and convincing than any 

 thus far produced before the question can be finally settled. If, 

 perchance, it be decided against Dr. Dwight, I promise not to insist 

 on his serving as a warning to any one. Should the spirit of charity 

 and forgiveness, which all good Christians are supposed to cultivate 

 and to act upon at every fitting opportunity, be expected to go 

 further than this? 



