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eastern Sajan the time of arrival is later, seldom before the 1st of April. On the Central Amoor 

 he saw several flocks as late as the 22nd of September. On the Tarei-Nor both the Mallard and 

 the Pintail were collected in flocks on the 8th of September ; on the 12th they began to decrease 

 in numbers ; and after the 20th only a few Mallards were to be occasionally met with. Eadde 

 never met with the present species in Siberia during the winter. Von Schrenck writes that the 

 Mallard " is found throughout the Amoor country, and in the lower part, near the mouth of the 

 Amoor river, it is the commonest Duck, being there the first to arrive. Mr. Maximowicz 

 observed the first Ducks, probably this species, at the Mariinskischen post on the 3rd (15th) 

 of April, 1855, and in 1856 on the 31st of March (old style). They appeared at the Nikolaieffsk 

 post about the middle of April. I shot the first one on the 23rd and 24th of April (old style), 



and obtained eggs at Aure, below the Mariinskischen post, on the 22nd of May I cannot 



exactly say when the Mallard leaves the Amoor country, but suppose it to be in October with 

 the other Ducks, as the waters of the Lower Amoor freeze in that month, and early in November 

 this river is from end to end covered with ice. It is, however, well-known that the Mallard 

 winters, in spite of the severe cold, in Siberia, frequenting water which does not freeze, as on the 

 Angara, and some of the rivers of Karnschatka (teste Pallas). I do not, however, know of any 

 such localities in the Amoor where the streams remain open ; but on Saghalien, the upper portion 

 of the Tymy river does not close, and there I met with the Mallard in the winter at a time when 

 the temperature was several times below the freezing-point of mercury — a clear proof that it is not 

 the severe cold, but the freezing of the rivers and sheets of water, and consequent scarcity of food, 

 that drives this Duck to the south in the winter. However, it is probable that but a small pro- 

 portion of the numbers of Ducks that in the summer season inhabit this country can find food in 

 the small, generally swift, streams that remain open ; and I suppose that the old ones remain, the 

 young migrating southward so soon as the water freezes." Dr. von Schrenck further writes that 

 he found this Duck much more shy and wary during the winter than in the summer season. 

 Dr. Dybowski states that the Mallard is common near Darasun, in Dauria. Captain Blakiston 

 obtained it in Japan ; and Mr. Swinhoe records it from Amoy, from between Takoo and Pekin, 

 in North China, and from the Island of Formosa. In America, Dr. Elliot Coues gives its range 

 as " abundant in North America, rarer, or only casual, in New England and further eastward." 

 Dresser never met with it in New Brunswick; but Mr. George A. Boardman records it as 

 rare in that province. Captain Blakiston writes that he has received it from Hudson's Bay, 

 where it is common throughout the interior. Mr. Eoss notes it on the Mackenzie, common to 

 the Arctic coast. Captain Blakiston also procured both the bird and eggs at the Forks of the 

 Saskatchewan. We have examined a specimen from the Yukon, now in Dresser's collection. 

 Dr. Coues met with it commonly during the winter on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers ; and 

 Dresser saw numbers in Texas, where, during the winter, they frequented the inland streams 

 and ponds, and were met with as far down as the Eio Bravo del Norte. 



The Mallard is probably the best-known of our freshwater Ducks, being so common on the 

 larger sheets of fresh water throughout the country ; and where not much disturbed, it does not 

 appear to be very shy. Dresser, when in Northern Finland, had ample opportunities of observing 

 their habits. Though the country there is extremely wild, and but little shot over, it appears, 

 contrary to Macgillivray's experience, to feed chiefly, if not entirely, by night. Though often 



