(Plate VI.) 
THE BLACK DUCK. 
Anas orscura 
This well-known inland species is also called the Duskv Duck. 
It is confined to the eastern halt of the United States, and is 
resident throughout the year south ol Massachusetts, breeding 
trom Texas to Hudson’s Ba\ 1 he lakes ol Maine and Canada, 
however, form its favorite summer home. There the nest is 
built about May ist. among the reeds on the margin of a se¬ 
cluded pond, or m the midst of the marsh)' sources of some re¬ 
mote stream, being placed upon the hillock formed bv a tussock 
of grass, the roots ol a thicket, or the mouldering stump. It is 
composed ol pieces of grass and weeds, which, consideri ftg the 
bird’s awkward tools, are verv neatly and compact!)' arranged, the 
shallow cavity being lined with down and feathers plucked from 
the parent's breast. The eight or ten yellowish-drab eggs are 
indistinguishable from those of the Mallard. 
While the female is sitting the male is said to hide away and 
undergo a moult. 
When the young are hatched they are at once led to the near¬ 
est sheet of water, — often at a considerable distance, — and in¬ 
troduced to their aquatic life. As the ducklings grow other fam¬ 
ilies join them, and thus, by the time the southward journey is to 
be begun. Hocks of fifteen or twenty are ready to move in com¬ 
pany. But, unless the weather be very cold, they do not wholly 
disappear south of Massachusetts, and return north at the earli¬ 
est opening of spring. 
“ Although the Dusky Duck is often seen on salt water bays or 
inlets," writes Audubon, “ it resembles the Mallard in its habits, 
being toncl of swampy marshes, rice fields, and the shady margins 
of our rivers, during the whole oi its. stay.They are equally 
voracious, and may sometimes be seen with their crops so pro¬ 
truded as to destroy the natural elegance of their form. When 
on the Water they obtain their food by immersing their head and 
neck in the water, and, like the Mallard, sift the produce of 
muddy pools. Like that species, also, they will descend in a 
spiral manner from on high, to alight under an oak or beech, 
where they have discovered the mast to be abundant. 
" The flight of this cluck is powerful and rapid, and as sus¬ 
tained as that of the Mallard. While travelling by day. the)' may 
be distinguished from that species by the whiteness of their lower 
(Gmelin). 
wing-coverts, which form a strong contrast to the deep tints ol the 
rest of the plumage. Their progress through the air. when at 
full speed, must, 1 think, be at the rate of more than a mile In a 
minute, or about seventy miles an hour. When about to alight 
they descend with double rapidity', causing a strong, rustling sound 
by the weight of their compact bodies and the rapid movements 
of their pointed wings. When alarmed by a shot or otherwise, 
they rise oft their feet by a powerful single spring, fly directly 
upward for eight or ten yards, and then proceed ill a straight 
i • rv 
line. 
In the autumn no duck is considered so hard to approach as 
this. They are watchful beyond belief, and the larger the flock 
the greater the number of sentinels. It is, therefore, all but im¬ 
possible to get near them sitting on the water, and the sportsman 
must trust to shooting them as they fly, To effect this he goes at 
daybreak of some misty October morning to the “ blind," or bower 
ol dense branches previously constructed on the edge oi some- 
piece of water frequented by them, and conceals himself, “armed 
with one or two heavy double-barreled guns, and provided with 
three or four tame ducks. " One of these ducks he anchors or 
moors out in the water, halt a gunshot trom the bower, The 
duck, soon becoming lonesome, begins to call, when, If there are 
any wild ducks in the neighborhood, they answer the call in an 
almost exactly similar note, and soon fly to meet the caller. The 
sportsman, watching the approaching flock, holds one of the other 
tame ducks ready to throw'; and, as soon as the wild ones ap¬ 
proach near enough to see the others, he throws towards the 
anchored duck the one held in his hand, which is secured from 
flying off, by a strong line fastened to its legs. The bird moored 
in the water, seeing her mate flying toward her, immediately 
redoubles her cries, u'hen the Dusky Ducks, after flying back and 
forth, alight beside her. As soon as they alight, they gather 
together in a flock away from the decov ; and it is then that the 
sportsman pours in his first shot : he fires when the birds are ris¬ 
ing from the water, and Is often enabled to get four shots at the 
flock before it gets out of gunshot. The excitement attending 
this shooting is better appreciated when known." 
Tlie flesh ol the Black Duck is not highly esteemed. 
