78 



MALLARD 



132. .4 was platyrhynchos. 23 in. 



. Head, green; speculum purplish-blue; bill 

 olive-green: legs orange: eyes brown. The female most 

 closely resembles the Black Duck but is lighter colored. 

 more brownish, and the speculum, or wing patch, is 

 always bordered with white. This species is one of 

 the handsomest and most valuable of ducks. It is the 

 cogener of the domestic ducks, and is largely used as 

 a table bird. 



Their food consists chiefly of mollusks and tender 

 ii-rasses. These they usually get in shallow water by 

 " tipping up," that 'is, reaching the bottom without go- 

 ing entirely under water. They also visit meadows and 

 the edges of grain and rice fields for food. 



Notes. A nasal " quack," often rapidly repeated when 

 they are feeding. 



Nest. Of grass, lined with downy feathers, concealed 

 in tufts of grass near the water's edge. The 6 to 10 

 eggs are buffy or olive-greenish (Z.25 x 1.05 ) . 



Range. Breeds from the northern tier of states north- 

 ward: winters in southern half of the U. S. 



