THE BLACK DUCK 289 
the throat, cheeks and neck, these last slightly 
streaked with brown lines. Speculum purple, 
feathers tipped with white. Under parts 
lighter than in northern races, each feather 
spotted near the tip with dusky brown. Both 
these races show markings which might indi- 
cate a mallard cross. Hybrids between mallard 
and black duck are not uncommon. Probably 
‘‘Brewer’s Duck,’’ described and figured by. 
Audubon, was such a bird. 
There is yet another species (Diaz’ Black 
Duck) resident in Central America and Mexico, 
closely resembling the two southern forms. 
The Black Duck is a strong flyer, swift of 
wing and capable of putting in many miles with- 
out a halt, in its migratory flights passing over 
at a height which makes it secure from all harm. 
The spring and fall months, of course, see more 
Black Ducks in our waters than do any other 
seasons, these excursions to and from the breed- 
ing grounds bringing many travelers of this 
sort to our shores and lakes. 
In the West our Black Duck is sometimes 
called the Black Mallard. He resembles some- 
what the female of that species but is consider- 
ably darker in his coloration. In size the two 
