258 General Notes. [April 



July 2: Control duck shows delayed moult, which is not to be wondered 

 at on account of lack of exercise. So far only head and breast feathers 

 affected. 



July 27: No change in cold room bird. 



August 8: The control duck shows black under tail coverts nearly gone, 

 green on occiput and hind neck only, with a patch of it on the throat. 

 White neck ring reduced, and absent dorsally. Breast nearly all moulted 

 except for few old feathers at lower margin of the chestnut area. Flanks 

 are moulting. The common mallards show at this date a much later and 

 more complete eclipse plumage. 



August 13: Cold room bird, no change except increased wear of feathers. 

 Belly and under tail coverts badly worn. Sex feathers intact. Feathers 

 coming back around eyes. 



August 22: Cold room bird no change. Control bird, eclipse dress 

 progressing slowly. The belly, however, is not yet moulted and there 

 are still traces of neck ring laterally. Some of the mallard stock in perfect 

 eclipse at this date; others slightly lacking. A good deal of variation 

 among them. None show any white neck ring now, but several have 

 greenish heads. 



September 14: Cold room bird no change. 



September 21: Control bird shows a beginning of the return of winter 

 plumage, but eclipse has not been perfect. 



Oct. 28: Cold room duck same as a month ago. (He was removed a few 

 days after this, and remained without change all winter. The control was 

 also liberated, but did not quite get back into full plumage and remained 

 below par all winter.) 



March 5, 1912: Control bird was noted as in ragged plumage with slight 

 admixture of eclipse feathers on breast and on head. Cold room bird 

 same — full winter dress but worn. 



June 12: Control bird has started in to moult early, far earlier than any 

 other mallard or toy mallard on the place. Breast spotted, belly partly 

 moulted, sex feathers still intact, head brownish. The cold room duck is 

 not so far advanced as the control, but more so than the other toys and 

 mallards. Some mallards have not shed a feather yet. The center of the 

 chestnut area of the cold room duck is changing and spotted, but not upper 

 and lower margins, wliich are still pure chestnut, with young feathers 

 underneath old feathers. Sex feathers intact. 



From this time on eclipse plumage was rapidly assumed by both birds, 

 and a stage maintained somewhat ahead of the other ducks on the place. — 

 J. C. Phillips, Wenham, Mass. 



