Anas boschas. 
Cambridge 
1399. 
December. 
Mass. 
A fine Mallard drake, no doubt the same that was noted 
among 
in November, was swimming the Black Ducks during all the 
A 
visits but one that I made to Fresh Pond this month. The 
date of his absence was the 21st when I feared that something 
had befallen him, but I found him back in the pond on the 25th. 
He was a wary old fellow and invariably kept at a safe dis¬ 
tance from shore. On the 17th a female Mallard appeared in 
the pond and I saw her there again'on the 21st. On the 25th 
there were two females one of which kept the drake close com¬ 
other 
pany. The A avoided him as did the female seem on the 17th 
from which I concluded that the bird was one and the same on 
both occasions as well as the 21st and that the female which 
was with the drake on the 25th was the newcomer. The female 
seen on the 17th went ashore in company with some Black Ducks 
and spent upwards of fifteen minutes walking about or stand¬ 
ing on the rocky pavement near the water's edge. 
