62 BIRDS 



ducks attain a speed of one hundred miles an hour. Unlike 

 most ducks, the plumage of the sexes is similar. 



The black duck often interbreeds with the common 

 green-head mallard, but are less popular than the green- 

 head as a game bird. The female quacks, and the male 

 utters a low nasal note. These birds usually inhabit shal- 

 low water, open marshes, little streams, and small fresh- 

 water lakes. The winter range extends along the coast of 

 Florida, the Gulf States, and the waters of Mexico. 



While breeding usually north of the United States, 

 they are fairly common in the wet sections of INIaine. Seven 

 to twelve eggs are laid, varying in color from pure white 

 to light green. The nests are placed in grassy spots close 

 to the water, and lined with a liberal amount of dark down. 



THE GADWALL* 



The Gadwall, Gray Duck, or Creek Duck, has a very 

 extensive range, including the temperate zones of both the 

 eastern and western hemispheres. It inhabits the British 

 Isles and breeds in Norfolk County, England. In Hol- 

 land it is abundant, and in the fall is one of the most 

 common ducks to be found in the market. 



In North America the gadwall is confined chiefly to 

 the interior, and Florida and Georgia are the only States 

 on the Atlantic Coast in which it occurs in any numbers. 

 Along the Pacific Coast they are common residents of 

 California. Many of these ducks pass the winter about 

 the Gulf of Mexico, in Central America, and in the West 

 Indies. It is quite common throughout Illinois, is rarer 



