BLACK DUCK. 
3IS 
BLACK DUCK. 
DUSKY DUCK. DUSKY MALLARD. 
Anas obscura. 
Char. General plumage blackish brown, paler on under parts ; head 
and neck lighter ; wing-patch purplish green, bordered with black ; lining 
of wings white ; bill greenish yellow ; legs red. Length about 23 inches. 
A'esi. On the ground in a wet meadow or marshy border of lake or 
stream, — sometimes under a bush or amid rushes ; a large but well-made 
structure of grass and weed-stems lined with feathers. 
6-12 (usually about 8 ) ; pale buff or huffish green ; 2.40 X 1.70- 
This species seems to be an exclusive inhabitant of America, 
being met with from Labrador to Florida, but is not found in 
the higher boreal regions of the continent. It is generally 
known by the improper name of the “ Black Duck,” though it 
is merely dusky, and both sexes, nearly alike in plumage, have 
a great resemblance to the female of the Common Mallard. It 
is a numerous and common species in the salt-marshes, as well 
as freshwater rivers and lakes. It is only partially migratory, 
many birds often wintering in the Middle and Southern States, 
where they also pass the summer and breed from the Carolinas 
to Labrador in retired places in the freshwater marshes, or in 
the sea islands, making a nest of rank weeds. 
Many of these birds migrate north as well as into the inte- 
rior at the approach of spring. Their principal food in autumn 
and winter appears to consist of minute shell-fish, particularly 
those univalves which are so abundant in the salt-marshes. 
They also at times in great numbers visit the sandy beach in 
quest of small bivalves and other shelly mollusca, and occa- 
sionally feed on seeds of aquatic and bog plants, such as those 
of the Scheutzeria ; and, as usual, swallow gravel with the rest of 
their fare. They roost in the shallow ponds and islands, where 
many are caught by the minx and fox, and are extremely shy 
during the day, being at that time very seldom seen, except 
when surprised in their retreats or alarmed by the report of the 
gun, when they often rise from the marsh in great numbers and 
