Taken from Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewaters.
Log book pages from Back Bay in Virginia and Sand Bridge Marsh.
Notice that Blacks were specifically noted versus Mallards as there was apparently a time when a black was just called a Mallard.
I need to give the Podcast another listen as well to discern whether it specifically stated that mallards were not on the AF before 1920, as that was my take as well, which would obviously not be true. The rest of the podcast and Dr Lavretsky's information ring true to me, especially as to size and hardiness and fat reserves vs the genetic expression of the smaller less hardi European domestics. I can't say that I have noticed the lamellae size difference either, as Chasbeau mentioned, but then again I haven't broken out the micrometer.
Here is something that you can read for those who don't listen to podcasts, not as in depth but parallels :
https://shootingsportsman.com/falling-mallard-numbers/
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