160 RIVER AND POND DUCKS 



hunting with decoys on some of the larger ponds, combined flocks of Mal- 

 lards and New Mexican Ducks would alight a hundred or more yards be- 

 yond the decoys. Ever wary and suspicious, the New Mexican Ducks 

 would feed by themselves and never venture nearer the decoys, while the 

 unsuspecting Mallards would soon be swimming in and out amongst the 

 wooden ducks." 



Black Duck 



(1) RED-LEGGED BLACK DUCK 



Anas rubripes rubripes. 

 (a-nas, r6ob-ri-pees) 



(2) COMMON BLACK DUCK 



Anas rubripes tristis. 

 (a-nas, r6ob-ri-pees, tris-tis) 



Colour Plate No. 7. Downy Young No. 33. Hybrids No. 36. 



SCIENTIFIC NAME 



Anas, Latin, meaning a duck; rubripes, from Latin ruber, meaning red, and pes, 

 meaning a foot; tristis, Latin, meaning sad, sorrowful; referring to the subdued col- 

 ouring of its feet in comparison to those of the Red-legged Black and partly, 

 Brewster states, "to commemorate the sad fate it has been called upon to suffer at 

 the hands of authorities on nomenclature." 



COLLOQUIAL NAMES 



Red-legged Black Duck. IN GENERAL USE: Black Duck; black mallard; often short- 

 ened to black or blackie. IN LOCAL USE: Black English duck; black-jack; blue-winged 

 duck; brown duck; brown mallard; canard noir (black duck); English duck; gibier 

 noir (black fowl); ledge duck; Labrador duck; mallard; marsh duck; nigger duck; 

 old winter duck; outside duck; redleg red-legged duck; red-paddle; sea duck; summer 

 duck; velvet duck; winter black duck. 



COLLOQUIAL NAMES 



Common Black Duck: IN GENERAL USE: Black duck; black mallard; often short- 

 ened to black or blackie. IN LOCAL USE: Beach duck; black English duck; blackjack; 

 blue-winged duck; brown duck; brown mallard; canard noir (black duck); canard 

 noir d'hiver (winter black duck); English duck; gibier noir (black fowl); mallard; 

 marsh duck; nigger black duck; nigger duck; pond black duck; spring black duck; 

 summer black duck; summer duck; velvet duck. 



The Black Ducks are divided by the A.O.U., in the 1931 Check List, into two 

 subspecies as above. The popular conception of the two forms of Black Duck is as 

 follows: The RED-LEGGED BLACK DUCK is distinguishable by its coral-red feet, 

 yellow bill, heavier feathering, and larger size. It is presumed to be the more northern 

 breeder and the later migrant. The COMMON BLACK DUCK is designated as the 

 smaller bird with brownish or olive feet, and greenish bill. It is said to be the more 

 southern breeder and the earlier migrant. 



There are many who do not agree that the Black Duck should be divided into 

 varieties. Those who hold against the division of the Black Ducks into two sub- 

 species maintain that the Red-legged Black is merely the older, more fully developed 



