318 Beyer, Allison, Kopman, Birds of Louisiana. \juW 



It is not until the early part of November that the species becomes 

 common. The earlier arrivals are particularly associated with Green- 

 winged Teals and to a considerable extent also with Pintails, Gadwalls, 

 Baldpates, Ring-necks, and Shovellers. The bulk of winter visitors are 

 present from the early part or middle of December until the latter part 

 of January, the Mallard being among the very first ducks to start north 

 at the close of winter. A good many of the individuals arriving at the 

 beginning of the winter pass further south, returning when the last of 

 the winter bulk are leaving the State, so that the greatest number are 

 often present at the beginning and at the end of the season. It is doubt- 

 ful whether any of the winter visitor individuals remain in southern Louisi- 

 ana later than February 15. Most of the transients have disappeared 

 by the middle of March at the latest. (Obs. In a general way, the move- 

 ments here traced with reference to the Mallard, apply with more or less 

 force to most of the other river ducks. Exceptions will be noticed under 

 the accounts of the several species.) 



Owing to constant persecution along the coast, the Mallard, like other 

 ducks wintering in Louisiana, is very wary; the feeding grounds in the 

 marshes are ordinarily deserted by daybreak, and open waters are generally 

 frequented during the hours of daylight. 



Several peculiar specimens of the Mallard have been taken in Louisiana. 

 Three of these were partly albino; one was a male and the others females; 

 all were marked exactly alike; they were shot at Vinton, in .southwest 

 Louisiana on January 4, 1892. An exceedingly strange specimen is a 

 hybrid between the Mallard and Pintail; the bird was an apparently 

 fertile drake. One side bears the exact markings of the Mallard and the 

 other of the Pintail. (For a detailed account of this specimen, see Auk, 

 XVII, April, 1900, p. 170.) 



Local names: French Duck; Canard francais. 



32. Black Duck (Anas obscura). Formerly a common winter visitor, 

 but growing steadily rarer of late years. It prefers the open Gulf waters 

 to the inland. It is usually found in flocks of eight or ten, while some- 

 times a few will be found with a flock of Mallards. 



33. Florida Duck (Anas fulvigula). A regular resident on the coast, 

 and especially on the islands, whence its local name, canard des isles. It 

 is fairly common and breeds wherever it occurs in the regions just men- 

 tioned. Its numbers are greatly increased during winter, and at that sea- 

 son it may be found on open lakes, even in the northern part of the State. 



34. Gadwall (Chaulelasmus streperus). This species is one of those 

 forming the normal winter duck population in Louisiana, and in the matter 

 of abundance, stands about on a par with Mallards, Baldpates, Pintails, 

 Green-winged Teals, and Lesser Scaups, being rather more abundant than 

 Red-heads and Ring-necks. As in the case of the Mallard, the first come 

 by the early or middle part of October, and continue to increase decidedly 

 until the middle of December, then remaining in statu quo or showing 

 something of a decrease, according to the nature of the winter, until the 



