ANATINrE — THE DUCKS — ANAS. 
495 
are chestnut-rufous, the feathers having narrow white borders, and those in front with a central 
black dot on each ; the crissum is black, tinged with chestnut ; remaining lower parts white, 
slightly grizzled laterally. Dorsal region black, the feathers bordered terminally with white, and 
grizzled basally with the same, some of them tinged with rufous; rump and upper tail-coverts 
continuous intense greenish black; tail uniform dark slate, with a violet reflection. Wing-coverts 
white, mottled transversely with black, the last row dusky, sharply bordered with white ; speculum 
bright bottle-green, narrowly tipped with white ; primaries dusky, the outer webs white. Bill and 
feet deep black. Head normally feathered. Wing, 13.00 inches ; culmen, 2.35 ; tarsus, 2.10; 
middle toe, 2.50. 
A beautiful hybrid between the Mallard and the Pintail ( Dafila, acuta ) was sent to the National 
Museum (No. 66618) by Dr. J. W. Yelie, from Chicago. It corresponds very closely with that fig- 
ured and described by Professor Newton, in the “ Proceedings” of the London Zoological Society, 
June, 1860, pi. clxviii., and in both form and coloration is throughout a perfect combination of 
both species. The head and neck are continuous brownish green, ranging from the brown of D. 
acuta on the anterior part of the head to the brilliant green of A. boschas on the back of the neck. 
The white collar is broader than in A. boschas, and posteriorly sends upward on each side of the 
nape a short arm, corresponding to the lengthened stripe of D. acuta. The jugulum is ,pale cinna- 
mon ; the wings are those of D. acuta, except the tertials, which are those of A. boschas ; the upper 
tail-coverts are purplish-black, edged with pale fulvous ; the two middle tail-feathers are elongated 
about half as much as in D. acuta, and curled half as tightly as in A. boschas ! The bill is dark 
lead-color, and the feet are dark reddish. Wing, 11.00 inches ; culmen, 2.20 ; tarsus, 1.55 ; middle 
toe, 1.90. 
The remaining supposed hybrid is an adult male, intermediate between A. boschas and A. obscura, 
purchased by Professor Baird in the Washington market, Jan. 25, 1871, and is apparently much 
like the bird described by Audubon as Anas Bremen. With the prevalent aspect of A. obscura, it 
has the side of the occiput and nape brilliant green, and the jugulum and breast strongly tinged 
with chestnut. The lateral upper tail-coverts are black with a violet reflection, as are also the 
terminal and lateral lower coverts ; while the middle tail-feathers curl upward, though not so 
much so as in pure A. boschas. The white bar anterior to the speculum of boschas is obsolete, or 
very faintly indicated, and the white collar round the neck is wanting. It measures, wing, 10.75 
inches ; culmen, 2.05; tarsus, 1.55 ; middle toe, 1.95 ; and before skinning was 23.50 inches in 
total length, and 48.50 in extent of wings. The bill was grayish olive-green on terminal half and 
along culmen, greenish olive-yellow basally ; nail and most of lower mandible black ; iris brown ; 
legs and feet dull salmon-orange, the webs purplish. 
Probably no Duck has a wider distribution, or is found in greater numbers where 
it occurs, than the Common Mallard, the undoubted origin of the domesticated inmates 
of our poultry-yards. It is found throughout North America, from Mexico to the 
Arctic Ocean, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It occurs in every part of 
Europe, breeding from Southern Spain to Lapland on the west, and from Greece 
to Siberia on the east. No part of Asia, except the more southern portions of India, 
is supposed to be without it, and it is more or less abundant in all the northern por- 
tions of Africa. And wherever found, the birds of this species are more or less 
resident, some remaining all winter as far north as they can find open inland water, 
and breeding, in limited numbers, in localities where the larger proportion spend 
their winter. 
This Duck is cited by Professor Reinhardt as among the birds which breed in 
Greenland. Captain Blakiston found it on the Saskatchewan, and abundant through- 
out the interior. Mr. Ross met with it along the entire course of the Mackenzie, even 
as far north as the shores of the Arctic Sea. It is abundant in Vancouver Island ; 
and Dr. Cooper found it very common in the Rocky Mountains in Montana, where 
it breeds. 
In Hearne’s time (1790) flocks of this Duck visited Hudson’s Bay in great num- 
