64 General Notes. ' Xj^^ 



of California in 1896, and further that on July 10 of that ;)-ear he was at 

 the Coronados Islands near San Diego — where, moreover, Mr. Daggett 

 himself has since taken the eggs of both the Petrels above mentioned. — 

 William Brewster, Cambridge., Mass. 



A Hybrid Duck. — After ten years of hunting for real wild hybrids, 

 the writer has finally succeeded in securing a drake which he regards as 

 an even mixture of Mallard and Northern Black Duck. The bird was 

 shot by the writer about a year ago, and he has waited .some time for the 

 experience to be repeated — as often happens after one has once succeeded 

 in finding a bird or flower new to him — but I have caught no mate for 

 my drake. 



Several thousands of ducks have been examined in the hope, not merely 

 of finding rare ducks in the market or in the strings of gunners, but 

 especially for indications of a crossed breed. Often I have found ' blue 

 bills' which could be assigned only with great difficulty to the species 

 Aythya affinis or to A. viarila. Especially was this true of females. 

 Measurements have been found quite unreliable in deciding these cases, 

 for it is a common thing to find a male of A. affinis which is up to the 

 smaller measurements of A. marilu, and often the flank markings are so 

 indeflnite, and the head iridescence also, that no one could say with pre- 

 cision what the bird was. Hybrids in these races are practicalh' indefin- 

 able. 



But between the Mallard and Black Duck we expected to find crosses, 

 and also to be able to distinguish them with certaint}'. While it has been 

 a common experience to come across Black Ducks which show traces of 

 Mallard blood, as was Mr. Brewster's experience, I have been unable to 

 find any Mallard which could be said to bear traces of a Black Duck in- 

 fusion. It is true that these latter forms would be harder to distinguish, 

 but the young drakes and females were carefully examined with the possi- 

 bilities fully in mind. 



These traces of Mallard blood we have found most common in the form 

 recently described by Mr. Brewster as Anas obscura rubri'/es — birds 

 which we have habitually called "Winter" or "Big" Black Ducks in this 

 vicinity. 



The hybrid here under notice exhibits strong Black Duck characters on 

 the head, neck and back. The pattern and dusky shade of the Black Duck 

 are also shown on all portions of the plumage, even where the Mallard 

 affinities are strongest. Mallard blood shows strongest in the white frame 

 of the speculum which is about one-half the typical width of white seen 

 in the Mallard, in the light shade and wavy cross vermiculations of the 

 scapulars, flanks and belh', in the blackish upper and under tail-coverts, 

 and in the green of the nape and sides of the crown. 



This specimen was in prime physical condition, an adult male with the 

 testes unusually well developed considering the time of year. — Elon 

 Howard Eaton, Rochester., N. V. 



