42 



DUCKS, GEESE AND SAVANS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Adult female : Speeulum, purple bordered with black and white; head, brownish l)uff; 

 belly, bufiy brown, usually mottled; feet, orange red. 

 Length, 23; wing, 10. .50; bill, 2.20. 



The MalLird Duck occurs commonly throughout the northern part of the 

 Northern Hemisphere. It breeds far northward, ranging in winter to the 

 West Indies and Central America. The eggs are greenish white, from seven 

 to ten in number. The nest is usually placed on the ground, and is com- 

 posed of grass lined with down. 



The Mallard is known to cross with various species, some sixty or seventy 

 hybrids having l^een recorded; the most common crosses being with the Pin- 

 tail, Black Duck and Widgeon. The female may always be distinguished 

 from the Black Duck by the broad white border of the speculum. 



The male says, "Drake, drake, drake, drake," several times, in a husky 

 voice, and also " Shwipe," low and husky, like the Black Duck. The female 

 "quacks." Drakes rarely "(juack." In most species it is usually the female. 



ANAS OBSCURA Gmel. 

 Black Duck. Dusky Duck. 



Head and neck, pale Ijrown, finely dotted 

 and streaked with dark brown; top of the 

 head darker than the cheeks ; general plu- 

 mage, dark brown ; feathers, edged with 

 pale buflf; speculum, purple, edged with 

 black ; bill, j'ellowisli green, with dark nail, 

 no black at the liase ; feet, orange red, with 

 dusky webs ; the color of the feet varies. 



Length, 21 ; wing, 10.75; l)ill, 2.10; tar- 

 sus, l.T."!. 



It is not improbable that there are 

 two well-marked races of this species, 

 one l)eing larger and heavier, fre- 

 cjuenting salt water bays and lagoons, 

 and having the legs and feet orange red ; and the 6ther, a somewhat smaller 

 bird, having the legs and feet olive, and usually found about fresh-water lakes 

 and ponds. Some of the Maine gunners recognize i this ditference, and call 

 the larger bird the Hudson's Bay Duck. The Black Duck ranges throughout 

 eastern Nortli America, from Illinois to the Atlantic coast, and from Labrador 

 and Hudson's Bay to Cuba and the Antilles. It is npt uncommon in Florida 



