﻿BIRDS 
  OF 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  185 
  

  

  duck, 
  the 
  ordinary 
  breeds 
  of 
  which 
  resemble 
  the 
  Mallard 
  very 
  closely 
  in 
  

   color, 
  voice 
  and 
  habits. 
  The 
  Mallard's 
  nest 
  is 
  placed 
  on 
  the 
  ground, 
  usually 
  

   near 
  some 
  slough 
  or 
  marshy 
  stream, 
  sometimes 
  on 
  a 
  rotten 
  stump 
  or 
  even 
  

   an 
  old 
  Crow's 
  nest, 
  and 
  is 
  thickly 
  lined 
  with 
  downy 
  feathers. 
  The 
  eggs 
  

   are 
  from 
  6 
  to 
  lo 
  in 
  number, 
  smooth, 
  of 
  a 
  pale 
  greenish 
  white, 
  or 
  yellowish 
  

   drab, 
  and 
  measure 
  2.35 
  x 
  1.65 
  inches. 
  The 
  ducklings 
  are 
  olivaceous 
  above 
  

   with 
  a 
  pair 
  of 
  yellowish 
  spots 
  behind 
  the 
  wings 
  and 
  another 
  on 
  the 
  sides 
  

   of 
  the 
  rump 
  ; 
  sides 
  of 
  head, 
  a 
  stripe 
  over 
  eyes 
  and 
  under 
  parts 
  yellowish 
  buff. 
  

  

  Anas 
  rubripes 
  (Brewster) 
  

  

  (Anas 
  obscuraon 
  platel 
  

  

  Black 
  Duck 
  

  

  Plate 
  12 
  

  

  Anas 
  obscura 
  DeKay. 
  Zool. 
  N. 
  Y. 
  1844. 
  pt 
  2, 
  p. 
  344, 
  fig. 
  241 
  

  

  A. 
  O. 
  U. 
  Check 
  List. 
  Ed. 
  2. 
  1895. 
  No. 
  133 
  

   Anas 
  obscura 
  rubripes 
  Brewster. 
  Auk. 
  1902. 
  19: 
  184; 
  cf. 
  Auk. 
  1908. 
  

   25: 
  362 
  

  

  obscu'ra, 
  Lat., 
  dark, 
  dusky; 
  ru'bripes, 
  Lat., 
  red-footed 
  

  

  Description. 
  General 
  color 
  dusky 
  brown, 
  the 
  feathers 
  edged 
  with 
  light 
  

   rusty 
  brown; 
  the 
  lower 
  parts 
  lighter; 
  throat 
  and 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  head 
  grayish 
  

   buff, 
  thickly 
  streaked 
  with 
  blackish; 
  top 
  of 
  head 
  and 
  a 
  streak 
  through 
  

   the 
  eye 
  dark 
  brown, 
  narrowly 
  streaked 
  with 
  buffy; 
  rump 
  only 
  slightly 
  

   marked 
  with 
  rusty 
  and 
  its 
  rich 
  dark 
  brown 
  often 
  glossed 
  with 
  velvety 
  

   greenish, 
  especially 
  in 
  old 
  drakes 
  which 
  have 
  the 
  same 
  greenish 
  gloss 
  on 
  

   the 
  crown 
  and 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  occiput 
  ; 
  lining 
  of 
  wings 
  white 
  ; 
  bill 
  yellowish 
  

   green 
  with 
  blackish 
  nail 
  ; 
  feet 
  orange-reddish 
  with 
  dusky 
  shading 
  and 
  webs 
  ; 
  

   iris 
  brown; 
  mirror 
  rich 
  violet 
  purple, 
  framed 
  in 
  black, 
  and 
  a 
  thin 
  line 
  of 
  

   white 
  along 
  tips 
  of 
  secondaries. 
  Old 
  drakes 
  have 
  redder 
  feet, 
  yellower 
  bills, 
  

   more 
  distinctly 
  spotted 
  throats, 
  and 
  are 
  distinctly 
  larger 
  ("rubripes" 
  

   of 
  Brewster 
  1902). 
  

  

  Remarks. 
  Young 
  and 
  light 
  colored 
  Black 
  ducks 
  are 
  often 
  mistaken 
  

   for 
  Mallard 
  ducks 
  by 
  the 
  inexperienced, 
  but 
  there 
  need 
  be 
  no 
  confusion 
  if 
  

   the 
  observer 
  will 
  remember 
  that 
  the 
  Mallard 
  always 
  has 
  a 
  broad 
  framing 
  

   of 
  white 
  both 
  before 
  and 
  behind 
  the 
  mirror, 
  while 
  the 
  Black 
  duck 
  has 
  only 
  

   the 
  black 
  frame 
  in 
  front 
  of 
  the 
  mirror 
  and 
  only 
  a 
  thin 
  line 
  of 
  white, 
  if 
  any, 
  

   behind 
  it. 
  The 
  Mallard 
  female 
  also 
  is 
  much 
  lighter 
  or 
  more 
  buffy 
  in 
  color 
  

  

  