OF VIRGINIA 23 
consin, northern Indiana, and southeastern Virginia; 
winters from Nova Scotia south to southern Louisiana 
and Colorado; west in migration to Nebraska and central 
Kansas; casual in Bermuda; accidental in Jamaica. 
The A. O. U. check list for 1910 only gives the southern 
breeding range of this species as southern Maryland. 
This, however, is not correct, for the Black Duck has been 
for years a breeder on our coastal islands, more so of 
former years than now. It still breeds sparingly over 
there, while it breeds in Warwick County (1911), and 
outside Tidewater in a number of the fresh-water creeks 
emptving into the upper James River. It is also a common 
breeder in captivity, both on Chincoteague Island, and my 
pens in Warwick County. It was interesting to note, 
though, that wild, unclipped wing birds that remain with 
my birds all during the winter in the pen, even though the 
pond was frozen over for eight weeks (1912), migrated 
the last week in March with some Pintail. They are a 
bird that is shy and wary, do not become entirely tame, or 
take kindly to confinement, though thev breed so fairly 
well. The eggs are laid the last part of April and first 
week in May, from six to ten in number, a pale buff. 
Size, 2.30x1.70. The nest is composed of weed stems or 
flag blades and down, placed close to the water, and on 
the ground, well hidden by vegetation. The eggs take 
from twenty-six to twenty-eight days to hatch, and the 
young as soon as dry may be seen following the parents 
in search of food. Of all the so-called table or fresh-water 
ducks, this species is found as much in the salt-water 
creeks and marshes along our coast, as further inland. 
It is still a verv plentiful bird, and brings from 75c. to 
$2.00 a pair in the markets. The southward migration 
commences about the 5th of October, while the northward 
flight is in full swing by the last week in Mareh. Only 
one brood a season. 
