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ving slowly down the celebrated " Brick -house Creek." The 

 thought occurred to me that they were a pair of tame Ducks, that 

 had become tired of the monotony of domestic life, and had deter- 

 mined on pushing- their fortunes in the wide bay. As I advanced 

 they took wing, Avhich undeceived me, and I brought them down. 

 They proved to be an adult male and female. From this circum- 

 stance I was led to suppose that they had bred in the neighborhood. 

 I madediligent search, and offered a bounty sufficient to induce others 

 to search with me— but neither nest nor young could be found Pro- 

 bably when migrating, they were shot at, and so badly wounded as 

 to be unable to perform their fatiguing journey, perhaps miles apart, 

 and perchance only found companions in each other a short time 

 before I shot them. 



In North Carolina this species is abundant, and in the habit of 

 frequenting the rice-fields, on which plant it is fond of feeding. — 

 When the planter wishes a repast of Wild Ducks, he orders a field 

 to be overflowed, and sends a servant to procure the desired game. 

 After waiting a favorable opportunity, it is not unusual for him to 

 return with from seven to ten of these highly esteemed birds, pro- 

 cured at a single discharge of his well-loaded gun. In the bayous 

 on the lower Mississippi, they are common. In Alabama — where 

 they are called " English Ducks" — I found them more numerous. 

 When surprised they move off in pairs. Their voice resembles that 

 of the domestic Duck. 



ANAS OBSCURA— GMEL. 



DUSKY DUCK. 



Dusky Duck, Anas obscura, Wils. Amer Orn. 

 Anas obscura, Bonap. Syn. 

 Duskv Duck, Anas obscura, Null Man. 

 Dusky Duck, Anas obscura, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — General plumage dusky ; speculum green, 

 reflecting purple, bordered with black; secondaries tipped with 

 white. Adult with the forehead, crown, occiput, and middle space 

 on the hind neck brownish-black, the feathers slightly margined 



