110 MALLARD. 



land, unless \vhen the severity of the weather has 

 completely shut up all their accustomed sources. 



We have not very varied information as to the 

 geographical range of the wild duck ; it seems gene- 

 rally spread over Europe, and reaches the arctic 

 circle ; it is American, and is said to be found east- 

 ward as far as Japan, * but we do not trace it on 

 the peninsula of India or in Africa. Mr. Audubon 

 has given us a very good and interesting account of 

 the mallard in North America, which, with the 

 addition of the remarks of Wilson, will contain all 

 that is at present known of the species in that 

 country. From these it would appear that this 

 bird is very rare in the United States : " Farther 

 eastward, so rare> that it is scarcely known ; and 

 not one was seen by myself or my party beyond 

 Portland in Maine." On the western coast of La- 

 brador, and in Newfoundland, the people were 

 equally unacquainted with it. From New York 

 southwards they became more plentiful, and they are 

 abundant in the Carolinas and Floridas. " In the 

 Floridas they are at times seen in such multitudes 

 as to darken the air, and the noise they make in 

 rising from off a large submerged savannah is like 

 the rumbling of thunder." t We have not any in- 

 formation how far their range is to the south. 



We consider that a minute description of this 

 well-known bird is not necessary ; one peculiarity 

 which will always distinguish it as a species is the 

 * Yarrell. f Aud. Orn. Biog., iii. 169. 



