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THE AMERICAN MALLARD DUCK The mallard is probably the most abundant wild duck in the world and it is scientifically tagged anas platyrhyncha and its range covers the entire northern portion of the earth Various races have claimed it and it has received such names as Eng ¬ lish duck and canard francais or French duck Other common names are wild duck greenhead gray mallard and stone duck This last name refers to the fact that the mallard is the source of most of the breeds of domesticated ducks ducksOver Over seventyfive per cent of the food of the mallard duck is vegetable such as Uie sedges grasses such as smartweed pondweed duckweed coontail wild celery and hackberries The animal food consists mostly of insects crustaceans and niollusks
