78 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
does not dive for its food, and in fact even when wounded seldom attempts 
to escape by diving. It often visits stubble fields and meadows at long 
distances from water, going out to feed late in the afternoon and returning 
early in the morning, sometimes affording good “pass shooting” at such 
times. It is hunted most commonly by the use of decoys, either living 
domesticated mallards or wooden imitations, anchored near a blind, the 
gunner sometimes using a duck call as an additional attraction. In many 
places where clubs or private individuals have shooting grounds which 
can be protected the Mallards and some other ducks are regularly baited 
with grain strewed in the shallow water. Wild rice is also extensively 
planted for the same purpose. 
It formerly bred in suitable places everywhere in the state, nesting on 
the ground in or near marshes, or on islands in marshy ponds. Persecu- 
tion has driven it away 
from many localities where 
it formerly nested in abund- 
ance and it is now known 
in many parts of the state 
mainly as a migrant. 
It breeds rather early, 
and most eggs probably 
are laid in May, the duck- 
lings being most commonly 
seen in early June. The 
nests are hollows in the 
ground lined with grass and 
other dry vegetable matter 
with a good deal of gray 
down from the  bird’s — pig. 13. Wing of mallard, to show speculum. (Original.) 
breast. The eggs range 
from eight to fifteen, are greenish or grayish buff, and average 2.32 
by 1.67 inches. The mother is said to be very brave in defence of the 
eggs or young, not only trying to decoy the intruder away but in some 
cases threatening or even attacking man or dog. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
In the adult male the head and neck are rich green, bordered below by a white collar, 
with clear chestnut below the white. The speculum is metallic blue or purple bordered 
all around by black, and with a white bar outside the black both in front and behind. 
The under parts are grayish white vermiculated with black, and the under tail-coverts 
are deep black in strong contrast. The adult, female is a totally different looking bird, 
the only strong similarity to the male being in the wings where the speculum is nearly the 
same. The remainder of the plumage is brown and black in streaks and mottlings, darker 
above and lighter below. The adult male frequently has several of the upper tail-coverts 
curled upward, but this is by no means always the case. Bill greenish; legs and feet, 
reddish-orange. The drake cannot be confounded with any other; the female and young 
might be taken for those of the dusky duck or black duck. Length of adult, 22 to 25. 
inches; wing, 10 to 12; culmen, 2 to 2.40. 
34. Black Duck. Anas rubripes Brewsf. (133) 
Synonyms: Black Mallard, Dusky Duck, Dusky Mallard, Red-legged Duck.—Anas 
obscura rubripes, Brewster, 1902.—Anas obscura, Gmel., 1788, and of most authors. 
It may be recognized by its general brownish black color, violet speculum 
tipped with black but without the white bands characteristic of the Mallard 
wing. 
