65 



neetown, 111., October 3 ; Biehnioud, Kans., October 4 ; and from Bon- 

 ham, Tex., October 16. At the last-named place Ducks became common 

 November 4. 



133. Anas obscura Ginel. [602.] Black Buck. 



Though principally a bird of the Eastern States the Black Duck is 

 not rare in the northern part of the Mississippi Valley. In winter it 

 occurs in the Gulf States. It is rare in western Manitoba. According 

 to the reports of observers, it is resident in Louisiana and Texas ;* and 

 it breeds in Iowa and Illinois, but not in Kansas or Nebraska. In 1884 

 it arrived at F razee City, Minn., April 1. In the fall of 1884 the first 

 migrant appeared at San Angelo, Tex., August 3. In 1883 the first was 

 seen there August 8. 



In the spring of 1885 it arrived at Fayette, Mo., April 1, and a female 

 at Gainesville, Tex., April 24. 



In the fall of 1885 the first came to Fernwood, 111., September 12 ; it 

 was next seen there October 3, and last, November 7, on which date it 

 was seen also at Shawneetown, 111, 



134. Anas fulvigula Ridgw. [603.] Florida Buck. 



This Duck, originally described from Florida, has been found in Kan- 

 sas, and doubtless occurs regularly in Louisiana and eastern Texas, if 

 not throughout the intermediate region. 



Col. N. S. Goss, in his Eevised Catalogue of the Birds of Kansas (1886), 

 says of it : " Migratory ; rare. Arrives about the middle of March. I 

 captured a female at Neosho Falls, March 11, 1876, and have since shot 

 one, and observed two others in the State" (p. 6). 



135. Anas strepera Linn. [604.] Gaclwall. 



The Gad wall is widely distributed, ranging over most of the northern 

 hemisphere. It winters abundantly in the Gulf States, and sometimes 

 remains in Illinois in mild winters ; it is also known to winter near a warm 

 spring in Wyoming. It breeds locally throughout most of its range. 

 Col. N. S. Goss considers it a rare breeder in Kansas. At Moss Point, 

 Miss., it comes in November and leaves in February. In 1884 it ar- 

 rived at Ellis, Kans., March 14, Manhattan, Kans., March 19, and Saint 

 Louis March 21, furnishing a curious exception to the usual rule that 

 western birds arrive later than eastern. It arrived at Heron Lake, 

 Minn., March 23, and remained to breed. In the fall of 1884 the first 

 migrant was seen at Des Moines, Iowa, October 28, and the last No- 

 vember 10. 



In the spring of 1885 it was reported from Emporia, Kans., and Heron 

 Lake, Minn., March 29 ; from Des Moines and Laporte City, Iowa, April 

 1 and 3, and from Shell Eiver, Manitoba, May 12. In the fall of 1885 

 the last was seen at Heron Lake, Minn., November 13. 



* Probably those which breed in Louisiana and Texas really belong to the next 

 species, A. fulvigula. 



7365— Bull. 2 -5 



