72 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



advanced, and the f^ater got frozen over, it came into the sheds 

 and remained permanently with the others. In the spring it 

 built a nest in an out of the way place, and in due time came 

 forth followed by a brood of young ones, which in time grew 

 up and bred with domestic species. Mr. Bates pointed out to 

 me some ofthe stock which he always could recognize by their sit- 

 ting deeper in the water, by their comparatively long slim neck, and 

 by a certain wild look of suspicion and mistrust which clung to 

 them through several generations, Mr. Bates thought the indi- 

 vidual referred to had been wounded in the wing, and thus 

 incapacitated for performing the usual journey south. 



35. ANAS OBSCURA Gmel. 133. 

 Black Duck. 



Size of the Mallard, and resembling the female of that species, but darker 

 and without decided white anywhere except under the wings. Tail 16-18, 

 feathered. 



Hab. Eastern North America, west to Utah and Texas, north to Labra- 

 dor, breeding southward to the Northern United States. 



Nest on the ground, built of grass, weeds and feathers. Eggs, eight to ten 

 yellowish drab. 



Although there are several other ducks darker in color than 

 this species, yet it is still the "Black Duck" ofthe gunners all 

 over the continent, and is excelled by no other in the excellence 

 of its flesh. It is not as plentiful throughout Ontario as the 

 Mallard, being more a bird of the sea-coast, frequenting the salt 

 marshes along the coast of Maine, where it breeds abundantly ; 

 a few pairs have also been found mating in the marsh along the 

 River St. Clair, but such occurrences are by no means common. 



We are told that long ago the Black Duck was a regular 

 visitor to the marshy inlets around Hamilton Bay, but now there 

 is so much to disturb, and so little to attract them, that their 

 visits are few and far between. 



