106 MALLARD. 



is immediately taken as if it required separation 

 from foreign substances. 



BOSCHAS, Swainson. Generic characters. Bill 

 long, depressed, broad and of equal width 

 throughout, laminae nearly concealed ; nostrils 

 oval, basal ; wings sharp-pointed ; tail cuneate, 

 of moderate length ; feet ample, hallux free. 



Types. B.fera^ crecca, obvcura, c. Europe, 

 Asia, America. 



Note. Gregarious ; easily domesticated ; feed on 

 grain or vegetables. 



THE COMMON WILD DUCK, BOSCHAS FERA, Briss. 

 ^-Anas Boschas, Linn., fyc. Common Wild Duck 

 * Mallard of British authors. This abundant and 

 useful species is very commonly distributed ovei 

 all our islands, few localities being without some 

 parts suitable for their habits, and many districts 

 being peculiarly adapted for them ; at the same 

 time, causes similar to those which have operated 

 on the frequency of many other species, have very 

 materially diminished the numbers of the wild duck, 

 and among the most serious is the profuse system of 

 drainage which has taken place in many of the 

 lower lying counties of England, where decoys and 

 the produce of the fens furnished a regular and 

 often handsome income to the followers of an occu- 

 pation now getting nearly extinct; while in all 



