LIFE 7iISlY)R]ES OF NORTH AMP:RI(!AX WILD FOWL. 51 



and streams far inland, perhaps he is impelled by the increasing 

 \s'armth of the sunshine or by some impulse of returnin? love to leave 

 ])ohind him his fruitful feeding grounds in the salt marshes and the 

 tidal estuaries; rising high in the air he sets his course toward his 

 summer home in far-distant lakes and swamps ; the sea knows him 

 no more until the following autumn or winter. He is not the earliest 

 of the migrants, nor yet the latest, but the latter part of March gener- 

 ally sees him well on his way. Black ducks migrate in })airs or in 

 small flocks in the s])ring, usually at a great height; they are always 

 extremely cautious, and before alighting in a woodland pond for the 

 night, they usually circle aroimd it several times and then scale down 

 on stiff decurrent wings to jilight in the open Avater far out from any 

 dangerous cover; here they rest in peace and safety, but at the 

 first blush of dawn their silver-lined wings are flashing over the tree 

 tops and they are off for another day's journey. 



CouHsMp. — While afield in earlj'^ April in search of hawks' nests 

 and other s])ringtime treasures, I have often seen the s])irited nuptial 

 flight of this species. Near some woodland reservoir I have heard 

 the loud quacking notes and looking up, have seen a pair, or perhaps, 

 three, of these ducks flying over the tree tops at full speed; the 

 courtship chase seejns to be a test of speed and energy, a sort of 

 aerial game of tag, as they sweep around again and again in a large 

 circle or back and forth o\er the pond or swamp which they will 

 probably choose for a summer home; finally the bride yields to the 

 suitor of her choice and they fly off together or drop down into the 

 the water. Mr. Edmund J. Sawyer (1909) describes a spectacular 

 courtship performance of this species which I have never seen: he 

 writes: 



MoHT, interestiu;^ wc-rt' the act ions of one pair that, I'rorn tho time the flock came, con- 

 stantly raced from end to end of tho pond, one bird closely pursuing the other. Now 

 and again the chase became too hot, and tho leading bird in a thrilling swirl of water 

 rose several feet into the air, followed immediately by the otlier. Toward the farther 

 end of the pond thoy would splash into the water, soon to take wing again in the oppo- 

 site direction. As, with necks stretclied far out and downward, the pair flew half tlie 

 length of the pond — 2 or .3 rods — while the other ducks looked quietly on or went in- 

 differently about their feeding, making the water dance till it seemed alive with 

 ducks, the scone was really spectacular. Again and again I lieard tlie pair of ducks 

 break from the water, and the splash, splash, as they dropped into the pond again. 

 Eacli time they rose, it seemed as though they must discover me, for at such times I 

 was in open view, had they glanced in my direction. 



Nesting. — 'fhe black duck nests in a variety of situations and does 

 not seem to shov.' any preference for any particular kind of surround- 

 ings provided it can find sufficient concealment. This makes it one 

 of the hardest ducks' nests to find, for one never knows where or 

 iur.v to look for it and can only happen upon it by chance; I have 

 s|)ent many hours hunting for it in vain, arotmd the edges of swamps 



