RIVER DUCKS. 229 



Easily tamed and is the origin of many of 

 our domestic ducks, fig. 171. 



194. BLACK DUCK. 

 A little smaller, 23; dark brown streaked 

 with reddish-yellow; speculum, green, bor- 

 dered by black only; fig. 172. Female and 

 young rather more yellowish; in all stages 

 the throat is yellowish with few or no spots; 

 feet, brownish; bill, green. In rising from 

 water springs into air nearly perpendicularly 

 to the height of ten feet before darting 

 away in swift flight. More often occurs on 

 fresh than salt water. Breeds from Mass. 

 northward, most abundant during migra- 

 tion, in April and Sept. Winters from 

 Mass, to S. C. 



195. RED-LEGGED BLACK DUCK. 



Larger than last, darker; throat, thickly 

 spotted, fig. 173; bill, yellow; feet, red. 

 Breeds north of IT. S. ; goes south in Oct. to 

 winter in great numbers from Mass, to the 

 Chesapeake; north in April. Occurs more 

 often on salt water than on fresh; sometimes 



