58 
ANAS DIAZI 
It is more than likely that other specimens of this duck will be found in collections. Black Ducks, 
probably of the diazi type, are found, according to Mr. Charles Sheldon, in central Chihuahua, 
Mexico, and a correspondent, Mr. Charles K. Jameson of El Paso, Texas, writes that he has shot 
“Black Ducks” in northwestern Chihuahua, 200 miles due south of Columbus, New Mexico. He 
adds that he once saw two in the pine woods of the Sierra Madre Mountains at an altitude of 8000 
feet. He thinks, however, that they must be rare all through this region. Dr. A. Wetmore noted a 
large, dark-colored duck at Lake Burford, New Mexico, and there is a female in the collection of the 
U.S. Biological Survey taken at Grafton, California, July, 1900, which appears to belong to this 
race. Another female taken at River Arrib, New Mexico, July 17, 1913, is also in the collection of 
the U.S. Biological Survey. 
Mr. Aldo Leopold stated that near Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the Rio Grande River, where he 
has done much shooting, these ducks represent about 5% of all ducks shot. They pass southward, 
according to his observation, early in the season. 
Black Ducks of some sort have been taken in the Uinta Mountains (southwestern Wyoming or 
northeastern Utah), according to G. B. Grinnell (1873). Other “Black Ducks,” perhaps this New 
Mexican Duck, were said to be common at Rush Lake, Utah, in November (Yarrow, 1877), while 
Brackett (1877) found so-called “Black Ducks” in southern Wyoming in April. This, or possibly 
Anas rubripes has been taken several times in Colorado (W. L. Sclater, 1912). A female specimen, 
said to belong to this species, was reported by Conover (1922) for Dad’s Lake, Cherry County, 
Nebraska. It was taken on October 17, 1921. 
HABITS 
The following field notes were contributed by Mr. Huber and kindly sent to me 
by Mr. A. C. Bent. I quote them almost entire. 
“In the valley of the Rio Grande River from El Paso, Texas, north to Albuquerque, New Mexico, 
this northern form of the diazi group makes its home. Whether on the mud-flats in the river, the 
numerous alkali ponds or cat-tail swamps throughout the valley, this duck is ever watchful and 
wary of man. 
“I have observed several New Mexican Ducks about three miles north of the city of El Paso, 
Texas, hence they probably range down the river possibly as far as the Big Bend country in Texas. 
In June, 1915, 1 saw five individuals at Belen and two at Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the mud- 
flats in the Rio Grande River. 
“Courtship. During the months of April and early May, 1920, 1 watched the courtship of sev- 
eral pairs of these ducks along the Rio Grande River west of Las Cruces, New Mexico. In April 
two, three and sometimes five New Mexican Ducks could be seen on the mud-flats in the middle of 
the river, as often with flocks of Mallards as alone. Wlien with a flock of Mallards they would stay 
together and not mix with the former. The male could be seen bowing to the female and occasionally 
pecking and pulling at her wing-feathers. When in the water the male would swim close to the 
female he had chosen, generally behind her, swim close up and pull at her feathers quacking all the 
while. If another (presumably a female) came too close he would swim rapidly at the intruder until 
she was driven to a safe distance. Returning to his prospective mate he would bob his head up and 
down a number of times quacking contentedly. Early in May these ducks were evidently mated as 
they were always seen in pairs or single birds. 
“On May 7, 1920, while watching a pair of the ducks on a mud-flat in the middle of the Rio 
Grande River west of Las Cruces, New Mexico, I witnessed a very interesting performance. Both 
ducks took flight simultaneously, rising in the air at an angle of about thirty degrees. They were 
flying slowly, their wings seeming to rise higher than in ordinary flight, both quacking incessantly. 
They passed the point where I was concealed about four hundred feet away and about three hundred 
