138 Swales & Taverner, Birds of Southeastern Michigan. [ April 



flecked with black, and is the second local spring record for the 

 species. The two others were sent in from the St. Clair Flats 

 October 1 and November 25. This seems to be about the usual 

 number taken each year on the river and the vicinity. 



Anas obscura rubripes. Red-legged Black Duck. — The 

 search for this subspecies, this fall, has brought to light several 

 that we are confident belong to the variety. The Black Duck 

 nests regularly at the Flats and all the early fall birds belong to 

 this breeding form. The variants do not come until November. 

 We have unfortunately so far been unable to secure specimens 

 for expert advice. We examined one in Campion's shop, taken 

 December 11, that is undoubtedly a hybrid (A. boschas + obscura). 

 This has a few slight tendencies towards the Mallard in general 

 shape, and the coloration of the tertials. Over the eye there is a 

 perceptible shade of green, otherwise we should call it a well marked 

 Red-leg. It was taken in company with a typical Mallard-Black 

 hybrid, showing about equal traces of both parents. We should 

 judge that the before mentioned bird has about the appearance 

 that would be exhibited by a cross between an ordinary hybrid 

 and a Black Duck and would be well represented by the formula 

 (obscura + boscha) + obscura. Both these were taken on the 

 lower Detroit River. 



Chaulelasmus streperus. Gadwall. — The Gadwall is a de- 

 cidedly rare duck in this vicinity. Todd, in his ' Birds of Erie and 

 Presque Isle,' lists it as the "rarest duck on Lake Erie." In a 

 MS. list of birds in the Museum of the University of Michigan, 

 date unknown, a specimen is listed with the following data: "State 

 Survey, Southeastern Mich. — Dr. A. Sager." The bird itself 

 has been lost and further information on it is unobtainable. Mr. 

 Fleming informs us that Mr. John Maughn, of Toronto, has had 

 several pass through his hands from the Ste. Anne's Gun Club, 

 St. Clair Flats, Ont. During the past fall of 1906 we have exam- 

 ined three females in Campion's shop; one was taken October 

 26, Lower Detroit River, and the other two, November 15, Monroe 

 Marshes, Monroe Co. One of the latter is in Taverner's collection, 

 No. 777. 



Spatula clypeata. .Shoveller. — We have been able to find but 

 one specimen of this species in a number of years. On October 



