KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF ILORIDA. 217 



ANAS FULVIGULA Ridgway. 

 Florida Black Duck. Florida Dusky Duck. 



Adult male : Upper mandible yellowish olive, nail and spot at base of mandible black ; some- 

 times mixed with dull orange ; under mandible yellowish olive, dusky at tip ; legs and toes pale 

 orange with the webs red ; iris brown. 



Adult female : Legs and toes dull Indian red ; webs mottled brownish and flesh color ; upper 

 mandible yellowish olive showing a brownish stripe on the middle and the nail and a spot at the 

 base black ; under mandible pale orange yellow. 



General appearance of the Northern Black Duck and lighter in color and having the throat 

 and cheeks almost without streaks and very pale buff in color. 



Length, 20; Wing, 10.20; Bill, 2 ; Tarsus, 1.70. 



This is a resident species in Florida, where it is becoming rather rare in 

 many locaHties where it was once common. It nests in the marshes, the 

 eggs being pale greenish in color. I have found two nests of this species on 

 the Banana River. Eggs are usually from eight to ten in number, but I have 

 heard of fourteen eggs being taken in a nest. The note resembles that of 

 the Black Duck. 



