22 THE BIRDS 
winter season, and now easily recognized by nearly every 
housewife when in search of game for the table, especially 
the drake with his brilliant green head. Unless they have 
been feeding in salt-water marshes too much, they are one 
of our best table ducks; but unless they are driven out of 
the marshes into the larger bodies of water by the ice, a 
case seldom happening with us, they prefer the brackish 
and fresh-water streams. The fall migration begins the 
first week in October, and by the 15th the flight is well 
under way, and birds are numerous with us. The great 
mass of them move northward through here, the last week 
of February, a few stragglers remaining until the middle 
of April sometimes. They are the most easily tamed and 
reared in captivity of any of the ducks, and if the eggs 
are taken away as soon as laid, will lay from twenty-one 
to thirty-five eges in one season. In the wild state they 
lay but from seven to ten eggs, a rich olive green. Size, 
2.25x1.25. Like most of the ducks the young can not 
fly until about half grown, in which stage they are called 
“flappers,” though they take to the water as soon as 
hatched. The nest is not far distant from the water, or 
placed in the tall flags in the marsh, a saucer-shaped 
depression, lined with feathers and down. Fresh eggs 
about April 10th to 15th, though old birds in captivity 
commence the latter part of February or first of March, 
according to the weather. They rear but one brood a 
season in the wild state. 
[133]. Anas rubripes (Brewster). Black Duck. 
[Black Mallard. Dusky Duck]. 
RancE.—Eastern North America. Breeds from central 
Keewatin and northern Ungava south to northern Wis- 
