BIRDS OF NEW YORK 185 



duck, the ordinary breeds of which resemble the Mallard very closely in 

 color, voice and habits. The Mallard's nest is placed on the ground, usually 

 near some slough or marshy stream, sometimes on a rotten stvimp or even 

 an old Crow's nest, and is thickly lined with downy feathers. The eggs 

 are from 6 to lo in number, smooth, of a pale greenish white, or yellowish 

 drab, and measure 2.35 x 1.65 inches. The ducklings are olivaceous above 

 with a pair of yellowish spots behind the wings and another on the sides 

 of the rtimp ; sides of head, a stripe over eyes and under parts yellowish buff. 



Anas nibripes (Brewster) 



(Anas obscuraon plate) 



Black Duck 



Plate 12 



Anas obscura DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 344, fig. 241 



A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 133 

 Anas obscura rubripes Brewster. Auk. 1902. 19: 184; of. Auk. 1908. 

 25:362 



obscu'ra, Lat., dark, dusky; ru'bripes, Lat., red-footed 



Description. General color dusky brown, the feathers edged with light 

 rusty brown; the lower parts lighter; throat and sides of the head grayish 

 buff, thickly streaked with blackish; top of head and a streak through 

 the eye dark brown, narrowly streaked with buffy; rump only slightly 

 marked with rusty and its rich dark brown often glossed with velvety 

 greenish, especially in old drakes which have the same greenish gloss on 

 the crown and the sides of the occiput ; lining of wings white ; bill yellowish 

 green with blackish nail; feet orange-reddish with dusky shading and webs; 

 iris brown; mirror rich violet purple, framed in black, and a thin line of 

 white along tips of secondaries. Old drakes have redder feet, yellower bills, 

 more distinctly spotted throats, and are distinctly larger ("rubripes" 

 of Brewster 1902). 



Remarks. Young and light colored Black ducks are often mistaken 

 for Mallard ducks by the inexperienced, but there need be no confusion if 

 the observer will remember that the Mallard always has a broad framing 

 of white both before and behind the mirror, while the Black duck has only 

 the black frame in front of the mirror and only a thin line of white, if any, 

 behind it. The Mallard female also is much lighter or more buffy in color 



