142 DUSKY DUCK. 



game of all our gunners along this part of the coast during win- 

 ter ; but there are at least ten black duck for one goose or brant, 

 and probably many more. Their voice resembles that of the Duck 

 and Mallard ; but their flesh is greatly inferior, owing to the nature 

 of their food. They are, however, large, heavy bodied ducks, and 

 generally esteemed. 



I cannot discover that this species is found in any of the re- 

 mote northern parts of our continent ; and this is probably the 

 cause why it is altogether unknown in Europe. It is abundant 

 from Florida to New England ; but is not enumerated among the 

 birds of Hudson's Bay, or Greenland. Its chief residence is on 

 the sea coast, tho it also makes extensive excursions up the tide 

 waters of our rivers. Like the Mallard they rarely dive for food, 

 but swim and fly with great velocity. 



The Dusky, or Black Duck, is two feet in length, and three 

 feet two inches in extent; the bill is of a dark greenish ash, form- 

 ed very much like that of the Mallard, and nearly of the same 

 length; irides dark; upper part of the head deep dusky brown, in- 

 termixed on the fore part with some small streaks of drab; rest of 

 the head and greater part of the neck pale yellow ochre, thickly 

 marked with small streaks of blackish brown ; lower part of the 

 neck, and whole lower parts, deep dusky, each feather edged with 

 brownish white, and with fine seams of rusty white ; upper parts 

 the same, but rather deeper; the outer vanes of nine of the se- 

 condaries bright violet blue, forming the beauty spot, which is 

 bounded on all sides by black ; wings and tail sooty brown ; tail 

 feathers sharp pointed ; legs and feet dusky yellow ; lining of the 

 wings pure white. 



The female has more brown on her plumage; but in other 

 respects differs little from the male, both having the beauty spot 

 on the wing. 



