Anas obscura rubripes. 184 BREWSTER, An Undescribed Form of Black Duck. [Auk Apr. relating to the original coloring of their bills, legs and feet. As the more brilliant tints of these 'soft parts' fade soon after death, and eventually nearly or quite disappear, they are not available in comparisons of dried skins unless recorded by the collector soon after his birds are killed. A careful study of this material has convinced me that the large, red-legged bird differs sufficiently from true obscura to stand as a distinct subspecies, which may be briefly characterized as follows: Anas obscura rubripes, new subspecies. RED-LEGGED BLACK DUCK. Subspecific characters.—Similar to A. obscura but larger; the feathers of the pileum conspicuously edged with grayish or fulvous; the dark markings on the fore neck and the sides of the head coarser, blacker and more sharply defined; the entire throat usually streaked or spotted with blackish; the tarsi and toes bright red; the bill yellow. Type, No. 30252, ♂ ad. Collection of William Brewster, Lake Umbagog (New Hampshire shore), October 8, 1889 ; W. Brewster. Habitat.—Occurring during migration or in winter on or near the Atlantic Coast from Newfoundland to Virginia (Cobbs Island); in the interior as far to the south and west as Arkansas. Summer range not definitely known but breeding specimens examined from Northern Labrador, James Bay and the west shore of Hudson Bay. MEASUREMENTS. | | Wing. | Tarsus. | Middle toe without nail. | Culmen from base (chord). | Culmen from nostril. | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Anas obscura average of 7 males. | 10.52+ | 1.65- | 2.20- | 2.05- | 1.58- | | A. o. rubripes " 21 " | 10.99+ | 1.68- | 2.26+ | 2.13- | 1.66- | | Anas obscura average of 15 females | 10.14+ | 1.61- | 2.09 | 1.93- | 1.52+ | | A. o. rubripes " 19 " | 10.47+ | 1.60+ | 2.15+ | 2.03+ | 1.60- | I have had repeated opportunities for comparing the two forms when living or immediately after death. They are sufficiently unlike in respect to size and proportions, as well as in coloring, to be distinguished, under favorable conditions, at more than gunshot distance when flying, and when freshly killed and placed side by side they may be separated at a glance. The larger bird usually has the entire bill (excepting the nail) yellow, varying from 43