River and Pond Ducks 



Black Duck 



(Anas obscura) 



Called also: DUSKY DUCK; DUSKY MALLARD 



Length — 22 to 23 inches; same size as tlie mallard. 



Male and Female — Resembling the female mallard, but darker and 

 without white anywhere except on the wing linings ; violet 

 blue patch or speculum on wings bordered by black — a -fine 

 white line on that of male only. General plumage dusky 

 brown, not black, lighter underneath than on upper parts, the 

 feathers edged with rusty brown. Top of head rich, dark 

 ashy brown, slightly streaked with buff; sides of head and 

 throat pale buff, thickly streaked with black. Female paler 

 yellow. Bill greenish. Feet red. 



Range — "Eastern North America, west to the Mississippi Valley, 

 north to Labrador, breeding southward to the northern parts 

 of the United States."— A. O. U. 



Season — Resident in the United States, where it nests ; also winter 

 resident, from September to May ; most abundant in spring 

 and autumn migrations. 



In New England and along the Atlantic States, where the 

 mallard is scarce, the black duck (which is not black but a 

 dusky brown), replaces it in the salt-creeks and marshes as well 

 as on the inland rivers, lakes, and ponds ; and even the sea itself 

 is sometimes sought as an asylum from the gunners. Not all 

 river and pond ducks confine themselves to the habitats laid 

 down for them in the books. Black ducks, when persistently 

 hunted, frequently spend their days on the ocean, returning to 

 their favorite lakes and marshes under cover of darkness — for 

 they are exceedingly shy and wary — to feed upon the seeds of 

 sedges, corn in the farmer's fields, the roots and foliage of aquatic 

 plants, and other vegetable diet, which is responsible for the 

 delicious quality of their flesh, so eagerly sought after. 



Brush-houses thatched with sedges, that are set up in the 

 duck's feeding-grounds by hunters, may not be distinguished 

 from the growing plants in the twilight or early dawn ; wooden 

 decoys easily deceive the inquisitive birds ; live domestic ducks 

 tied by the leg to the shore, though apparently free to swim at 

 large, lure the wild ones near the gunners in ambush, and numer- 

 ous other devices, long in vogue among men who spare them- 

 selves the fatigue of walking through the sedges to flush their 



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