584 THE BLACK DUCK. 



tary exile and renounces all domestic ties, while he undergoes a tedious and 

 painful double moult. 



The female, left to herself, sits closely upon her eggs, — so closely, 

 indeed, as occasionally to admit of capture by the hand, and she leaves the nest 

 only after nightfall. At the end of four weeks the ducklings are brought 

 off and led to water, where they become expert swimmers and divers, and 

 learn above all things to^ secrete themselves instantly upon the maternal note 

 of warning. Those who have not tested their eyes by trying to gather up 

 a hatful of ducklings while a distracted mother limped and quacked in the 

 distance, have either never been boys or else have fallen upon a flabby age. 



Many hybrids between the Mallards and other ducks are known to 

 science. One of the commoner forms is a cross between this bird and the 

 Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) supposed to be the product of breeding 

 in captivity. A hybrid between the Mallard and the Pintail is not uncom- 

 mon in the interior, and there is a specimen in the collection of the Wynous 

 Point Shooting Club, near Port Clinton, which shows common characters 

 of the Mallard and the Black Duck. 



No. 282. 



BLACK DUCK. 



A. O. U. No. 133. Anas obscura Gmel. 



Synonym. — ^Black Mallard. 



Description. — Adults of both sexes: General plumage rich dusky brown, or 

 sooty brown, varied by light rusty brown edging of feathers ; little edging on back, 

 more on belly; head and neck brownish ochraceous or buffy, narrowly and dis- 

 tinctly streaked, except on chin and throat, with dusky ; top of head and crest of 

 neck nearly uniform dusky brown ; speculum metallic blue or violet, bordered by 

 black, but without white ;axillars and lining of wing white ; bill olive-green or green- 

 ish black; feet olivaceous brown or faintly tinged with reddish. Length 22.00 

 (558.8) ; adult male wing 10.52 (267.2) ; bill 2.05 (52.1) ; bill from nostril 1.58 

 (40.1) ; tarsus 1.65 (41.9). Adult female wing 10.14 (257.6) ; bill 1.93 (49) ; bill 

 from nostril 1.52 (38.6) ; tarsus 1.61 (40.9) (Brewster). 



Recognition Marks.— Size of Mallard or a little smaller. Like female Mal- 

 lard, but much darker, — sooty brown or blackish to appearance ; no white bars on 

 wing. Throat not streaked, and feet and legs not definitely red, as distinguished 

 from A. 0. ruhripes. 



Nest, on the ground, among reeds or in grass near water; rather carelessly 

 constructed of rushes or dried grass, and lined with feathers and down. Occa"- 

 sionally built in trees. Eggs, 8-12, elliptical, pale bufif, or greenish buff. Av. size, 

 2.43 X 1.7s (61.7x44.^;. 



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



