The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-03-26
Gbe Dome OF
@e MsNaed

No one Of our ducks has q wider range
than the mallard. which, as has been said.
is the progenitor Of the common domestic
duck. II is found over the entire northern
portion Of the world and Ia America as
far south as Mexico. while in Europe it
breeds IN Southern Spain and Greece. It
is believed 10 be common throughout
Asia, except In tropical India, and It Is
more or less abundant IN Northern Africa
Although a migratory bird. the mallard
may usually be found throughout its
range IN winter provided there Is open
water. and SO a place where It may feed
In many places IN the Northern Rocky
mountains, where the temperature often
goes 10 thirty and forty degrees below
zero, mallards may be found throughout
the winter living IN warm springs or
along swift streams where the current
is 50 rapid that the water never freezes.
Thus It is seen that the winters cold has
little to do with the migration OF the NAL
lard-or, IN fact, with that Of many other
ducks-and that If food is plentiful the
birds can bear almost any degree OF cold.
Il is the freezing Of the waters, and thus
shutting on the food supply that forces
these inland birds to move southwark.
In the New England states the mallard
Is not a common bird but N the Southern
states, the interior and California Il is
extremely abundant
In the Northern interior the mallard Is
shot from early October until the wa
ters close in November. and an through
the winter it Is abundant IA the Southern
states. Here il feeds IN the marshes
along the salt water. In the rice fields
and along the sloughs and streams
throughout the interior. and becomes fat
and well favored and Is eagerly pursued.
Il comes readily 10 deooys. says Forest
and Stream. and if one or more live ducks
are tethered with the decoys 70 call down
the wild birds they are quite certain 20
respond and 70 offer easy shooting 20
the gunner Formerly he mallard bred
in considerable numbers within the limits
OF the United States, though Il has never
been a common bird at any season on
the Atlantic coast north Of New York.
II formerly bred, however. in great num-
bers IN Illinois, Indiana. Wisconsin. Mich
igan and Minnesota. as well as IN the
prairies of the further West and about
alkall lakes and pools on the high central
plateau Now most OF the birds proceed
further north 10 breed. and Canada. the
Hudson bay country and the shores OF
the Arctic sea are an occupied by It dur.
Ing the nesting season. Or. Brewer states
that ''it has been known Ia rare In.
stances 70 nest IN a tree. On such cases
occupying a deserted nest OF a hawk.
crow or other large bird"
The mallards IS one Of our typical fresh |
water ducks. Il is rarely or never found
On salt water. but on the other hand /
Is common on the lagoons along the /
Atlantic coast. which are brack 4
sh. Here Il associates with many other 1
'resh water ducks. and is frequently seen
lying In company with black ducks. aprig-
ails. widgeons and other species.
Perhaps no one 81 our North American
lucks is 80 well-known as tho maIiard.
md yet Il has comparatively few common
lanes. Il Is called grecnhead. wild drake.
Wild duck, English duck. French duck
nd gray duck or sometimes gray mailard
or the female In Canada the same stock
uck was formerly n progenitor OF the
omestic duck The French Canadians
an II canard Francals. o. French duck
ir. Trumbuli calls attention % the old
% now obsolete duckinmaiiard. a word
opposed TO be a corruption of duck and
iallard, duck being the female and mai
lrd the male. The word is thus tho
OF duck and drake. Il having
cen the custom seemingly to speak %
be species by this double name