2l6 



KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



ber of specimens near Cape Canaveral. The eggs are greenish white and 

 usually from seven to ten in number. 



The Mallard is known to cross with various species, some sixty or seventy 

 h3^brids having been recorded ; the most common crosses being with the 

 Pintail, Black Duck, and Widgeon. The female may always be distin- 

 guished from the Black Duck by the white border of the speculum. 



The male says, " Drake, drake, drake, drake," several times in a husky 

 voice and also " Shwipe," low and husky like a Black Duck. The female 

 "quacks." Drakes rarely " quack " ; in most species of ducks it is usually 

 the female. 



ANAS OBSCURA Gmel. 

 Black Duck. Dusky Duck. 



Head and neck pale brown, finely dotted 

 and streaked with dark brown : top of tlie 

 head darker than the cheeks : general plu- 

 mage dark l)rown ; feathers edged with pale 

 buff; speculum purple edged with black; 

 bill yellowish green with dark nail, no black 

 at the base ; feet orange red with dusky 

 webs; the color of the feet varies. 



Length, 21; Wing, 10.75 '• '^'ll- --lo- Tar- 

 sus. 1.75. 



This species may always be easily 

 distinguished from the female of 

 the Mallard by the absence of the 

 white stripe on the speculum. It is 

 pretty well distributed over North 

 America and breeds from New 

 England northward. 



The male says : " Drake, drake, 

 drake, drake,"' and also " Shwipe," 

 in a husky voice: the female •• quacks." 



It ranges in winter to Cuba and the Antilles and is common in Florida, 

 where it may easily be distinguished from the local species by the streaked 

 cheeks and throat. It is also darker in color than the Florida Black Duck. 

 The eggs are nine to twelve and are pale greenish white. 



