THE BLACK DUCK 289 



the throat, cheeks and neck, these last slightly- 

 streaked with brown lines. Speculum purple, 

 feathers tipped with white. Under parts 

 lighter than in northern races, each feather 

 spotted near the tip with dusky brown. Both 

 these races show markings which might indi- 

 cate a mallard cross. Hybrids between mallard 

 and black duck are not uncommon. Probably 

 ''Brewer's Duck," described and figured by 

 Audubon, was such a bird. 



There is yet another species (Diaz' Black 

 Duck) resident in Central America and Mexico, 

 closely resembling the two southern forms. 



The Black Duck is a strong flyer, swift of 

 wing and capable of putting in many miles with- 

 out a halt, in its migratory flights passing over 

 at a height which makes it secure from all harm. 

 The spring and fall months, of course, see more 

 Black Ducks in our waters than do any other 

 seasons, these excursions to and from the breed- 

 ing grounds bringing many travelers of this 

 sort to our shores and lakes. 



In the West our Black Duck is sometimes 

 called the Black Mallard. He resembles some- 

 what the female of that species but is consider- 

 ably darker in his coloration. In size the two 



