RIVER AND POND DUCKS 193 



tolerably common, Mch. 1-May 1; Sept. 1-Nov. 30. SE. Minn., uncom- 

 mon T. V. 



Nest, on the ground in grass or brush, often far from water. Eggs, 6-12, 

 pale greenish or bluish white, or creamy buff, 2' 43 x 1'75. Date, Montauk 

 Point, L. I., Apl. 5; Cambridge, Apl. 19; St. Croix River, Maine, Apl. 30. 



Though not literally a black Duck, this bird appears so much darker 

 in life than the female of its near relative Mallard, that it is sometimes 

 known as Black Mallard. Its loud, resonant quack resembles that of 

 the Mallard. It is more common in the Atlantic Coast States than 

 inland, and when molested will sometimes pass the day at sea retuining 

 at night to feed in the ponds and marshes. It has won a deserved 

 reputation for wariness. 



The gullet and gizzard of a Black Duck shot by E. H. Eaton were 

 found by him to contain 23,704 weed seeds. ("Birds of New York.") 



1893. ALLEN, C. S., Auk, X, 53-59 (nesting). 



134. Anas fulvigula Ridgw. FLORIDA DUCK. Ads. Top of head 

 streaked with black and buffy; sides of head and entire throat buffy, without 

 streaks; rest of underparts rich buffy ochracepus, widely streaked with 

 black; back black, the feathers broadly margined and sometimes inter- 

 nally striped with ochraceous-buff ; speculum rich purple bordered by black; 

 Bill olive-yellow, its nail black. L., 20'00; W., 10'50; Tar., T65; B., 2'05. 



Remarks. Easily distinguished from A. rubripes by the absence of 

 streaks on the throat. 



Range. Fla. and Gulf coast to Miss. 



Eggs, 8-10, pale dull buff or pale grayish buff, 2'15 X 1*61 (Ridgw.). 



Date, Caloosahatchie River, Fla., Apl. 16. 



This southern representative of the Black Duck is permanently 

 resident in Florida, where it has apparently decreased in numbers in 

 recent years. It resembles the Black Duck in voice and feeding habits, 

 but I have never known it to go out to sea. 



135. Chaulelasmus streperus (Linn.}. GAD WALL. Ad. d*. Top of 



head streaked with rufous-brown and black; sides of head and neck pale 

 buffy, thickly streaked or spotted with black; breast and neck all around 

 black, each feather with a border and an internal ring of white, giving the 

 plumage a beautifully scaled appearance; belly white or grayish; rump, 

 upper and under tail-coverts black; lesser wing-coverts chestnut. Ad. 9. 

 Head and throat as in male; back fuscous margined with buffy; breast and 

 sides ochraceous buffy, thickly spotted with blackish; belly and under 

 tail-coverts white, more or less thickly spotted with blackish; little or no 

 chestnut on wing-coverts ; speculum ashy gray and white ; axillars and under 

 wing-coverts pure white. L., 19*50; W., 10'40; Tar., T55; B., 1*70. 



Range. Nearly cosmopolitan. In N. Am. breeds from s. B. C., cen. 

 Alberta, and cen. Keewatin s. to s. Calif., s. Colo., n. Nebr., and s. Wise.; 

 winters from s. B. C., Ariz., Ark., s. 111., and N. C. s. to s. L. Calif., cen. 

 Mex. (Jalisco), and Fla.; accidental in Bermuda, Cuba, and Jamaica; rare 

 in migration on the Atlantic coast of the Middle and New England States 

 n. to N. F. 



Washington, common W. V., Aug. 24- Apl. L. I., rare T. V. N. Ohio, 

 occasional T. V. SE. Minn., common T. V., uncommon S. R., Apl. 3. 



Nest, on the ground, near water, in short prairie grass or concealed 

 beneath rose bushes. Eggs, 8-12, pale buff or buffy white, 2'09 x 1*57 

 (Ridgw.). Date, N. D., June 7. 



