j;rFK iiisTor.iKS ok north AMi-nncAX wiij) yowi.. 35 



advances north as fast as conditions will ])ermit. iW the second 

 week in March the advance guard has reached the Northern States, 

 and hirge Hocks may be seen circling about over the lakes in search 

 of open water or droj)}Hng into sheltered pond holes to feed on the 

 iirst tadpoles jind other small fry tliav\ ed out by the warm rays of 

 the advancing sun. It is usually three weeks or a month later 

 before they penetrate into central Canada and they do not reach 

 the northern limits oF their breeding range in the Mackenzie region 

 until the first week in May, or in Alaska until the middle of i\iay. 



'i'hroughout all the central portions of its range, in the threat 

 Plains region of the Northern States and central Canada it is one of 

 the most abundant and most widely distributed of the ducks, as 

 well as the best known and most important of our game 1)irds; 

 eastward of the Prairie States it dimuiishes in abundance and is almost 

 wholly replaced by its near relative, the black duck. 



Courtship. — The plumage of the mallard drakes is at its highest 

 stage of perfection before the end of winter, and the iirst warm days 

 stimulate these vigorous birds to migrate to their northern homes. 

 Many of tliem are already mated when they arrive and the flocks of 

 mated birds soon break up into pairs and fly about in search of 

 suitable nesting sites. Others are busy with their courtships, which 

 are conducted largely on the wing. 1 have seen as many as three 

 males in ardent pursuit of one female Hying about, high in the air, 

 circlmg over the marshes in rapid flight and quacking loudly; fuiall}- 

 the duck flies up to the drake of her choice, touches him witii her bill 

 nd the two fly off together, leaving the unlucky suitors to seek 

 other nuxtes. 



Dr. Charles W. Townsend (f916) describes the courtshij) of this 

 species as follows: 



When the mallard drake couria, lie swinjs restlessly about following or sidling up 

 10 a duck. She may lead him quite a chase before she vouchsafes to acknowledge 

 liis presence, although he is continually bowing to her, bobbing his head up and 

 down in nervous jerks so that the yellow bill dips into the water for a quarter of its 

 length and comes up dripping. He also rears himself up in the water and from 

 time to time displays liis breast. She occasionally turns her head to one side and 

 carelesslj' dabbles her bill in the water, but sooner or later, if all goes well, she 

 begins to bow also, less vigorously at first — not touching the water at all — and to the 

 empty space in front of her. Suddenly she turns and the pair bow to each other in 

 the same energetic nervous jerks, and, unless a rival appears to spoil the situation, 

 the drake has won his stiit. 



Mr. H. Wormald (1910) has given a detailed account of the court- 

 ship of the mallard, illustrated with excellent drawings, to which I 

 refer the reader. He says: 



The performance usually l)egins by foiu' or five drakes swimmijig round a duck 

 with their heads sunk, and their necks drawn back, and in this attitude they have 

 the appearance of being most unconcerned. This I will call action No. 1. After 



