102 



RIVER DUCKS. 



the feathers witli internul rings or loops and sometimes horderH of pale ochra- 

 ceouM Imrty ; s|>fC'iiluMi as in the precediii),'; lireufst uiul )w\\y oeiiraceous bully, 

 mottled with du.sky >^niyi«h brown. J^., "Jiioo; \V., lloo; Tar, l-7r); B., 2-25. 



Kanye. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in Ameriea breeds 

 in the interior fmiii Indiana and Iowa, and on the Atlantic eoast rarely south 

 of Labrador, nortiiward t<> the aretie regions; winters from southern Kansas 

 and Delaware southward to Central Ameriea and the island of (iranadu, 



Washiiif^ton, eomnion W. V. Long Island, uneonnnou T. V., Sept. to Apl. 

 Sing Sing, rare T. V., (Jet., Meh. 



h'ljijK^ six to ten, pale greenish or bluish white, 2'30 x 1*70. 



The Mallard is far more common in the interior than on the coasts. 

 Its loud, sonorous quack is not distinguishable from that of its domes- 

 ticated descendants. 



183. Anas Obscura Gmtf. Black Dci'k; DrsKY Dick. Ad.— 



Top of the lieud rieh fuseous, sliglitly streaked with pale butty ; sides of the 

 head and throat pale bulfy, thickly streaked with blackish ; rest of under jiarts 

 fuscous brown, the fei'.thers all bordered by oehraeeous-burt"; back slightly 

 darker and narrowly margined with butty; speculum rich purple, bordered 

 by black. L., 22-00; W., 11-00; Tar., 1-7;'); 15., 2-20. 



A'<?//'a/'^'.'(.^Always to be distinguished from the Mallard by tlic lack of 

 w hite in the wing. 



A'rtH<('<'.— North America; brccd^ from Illinois and New Jersey to Hudson 

 Bay and Labrador; winters southward to the Greater Antilles. 



Washington, common W. V. Long Island, abundant W. V., Sept. to May ; 

 a few breetl. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. K., Mcli. (5 to Nov. l-'J. Cam- 

 bridge, very common T. V., Mch. and Ay)1 ; Itite Aug. to Nov. ; a few breed. 



A>/;/.<i, eight to twelve, pale greenish or bluish white, or creamy butt", 

 2-43 X l-7r). 



This species resembles the ]\Iallard in pfeneral habits, and the voices 

 of the two are indistinsnisluible. The Rlack Duck, however, is com- 

 moner near the seacoasts, and when molested will sometimes pass the 

 day at sea, returning at night to feed in the marshes and ponds near 

 the shore. 



134. Anas flilvi^ula Rlifoir. Flohti>a Ditk. Jd. — Top of head 



streaked with black and bufty ; sides of the head and entire throat butty, 

 without strxth ; rest of under parts rich bulfy oeliraeeous, widely streaked 

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

 nally striped with ochraccous-butt'; speculum rich puri)le bordered by black; 

 bill olive-yellow, its nail black. L., 20-00; W., 10-50; Tar., l-fiS; B., 2-05. 



h'eoiarh.—VAisUy ilistinguished from ./. obscura by the absence of streaks 

 on the throat. 



Niuiije. — Florida and Gulf coast to Louisiana. 



/;>^</«, eight to ten, pale dull Vniff or pale grayish buff, 2-15 x l-fil (Ridgw.). 



This is a common resident species in Florida. Its habits and voice 

 are practically the same as those of the Black Duck. 



