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ANAS OBSCURA (GMEL). 
THE BLACK MALLARD: BLACK DUCK. 
Specific Character.—Adult: Prevailing colour brownish black or dusky, the 
feathers edged, more or less distinctly with pale grayish fulvous; head and neck | 
about equally streaked with grayish white, more ochraceous near the bill, and — 
dusky ; pileum nearly uniform dusky, and a dusky stripe back from the eye. © 
Speculum violet, changing to green in some lights, narrowly tipped with white 
and with a broad subterminal bar of velvety black; last row of coverts dusky 
brownish broadly tipped with black. Sexes alike. Bill yellowish green, the 
unguis dusky ; iris dark brown; feet orange red; the webs dusky. > | 
Total length, 22.00 inches; wing, 10.50 to 11.50; culmen, 2.00; tarsus, 
1.70; middle toe, 1.90. a 
Habitat.—Eastern North America, west to Utah and Texas, north to Lab- | 
rador. 
The black duck is one of the common ducks of Ontario occurring on or near — 
all suitable streams or lakes. It is very fond of retiring to some pond ina piece ~ 
of woods or swamp to raise its brood and as soon as the young are able to fly | 
well, they are taken each night about dusk to the adjoining river or lake return- ~ 
ing about daylight. These birds are said to keep moving about all night. They — 
feed upon roots, small shellfish, ete. The black ducks usually arrive in Ontario — 
the earliest of any of the ducks and remain the longest in the fall. Having — 
paired they retire to some secluded spot, make their nest on the ground under a ~ 
brush heap or other cover, and lay in it from 8 to 10 whitish eggs. The ~ 
female begins to lay about May Ist. It is considered one of the best ducks for | 
the table, as well as being one of the most abundant. } 
