I.TFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN WH.D FOWL. 59 



noise is made by her. These ducks are generally very noisy Avhile 

 feeding and, as they are very alert and wary, their loud notes serve 

 as timely warnings to other species on the approach of danger. 



Fall. — Black ducks usually flock by themselves mainly because, 

 in the regions where they arc most numerous, there are comparatively 

 [qw of the other surface-feeding ducks of similar habits. The early 

 flights in September are often associated with blue-winged teal and 

 ];:ior Higlits with a few of the other western ducks. The earliest flights 

 consist mostly of young birds, often not fully feathered, and prob- 

 ably they are made up of family parties. The flocks are usually 

 small, often less than 10 birds and seldom more than a dozen; large 

 flocks are very rare except when congregated in winter quarters. 



Mr. Vv^alter H. Rich (1907) writes of the migration in Maine: 



When the summer wanes and the young birds have become strong enough to 

 journey, straggling ducks begin to make their appearance in the salt marshes, then 

 in email bunches a few at a time; as cold weather approaches they gather at the sea 

 into Hocks ranging from 20 to 200 birds. Near my home they gather winter after 

 winter at the mouth of a fresh-water river in a body of, at times, as many as 5,000 

 birds, coming in at night and spending their days on the salt water, except in bad 

 weather, when they huddle on the ice at a safe distance from the sliore. From the 

 let of September such of their number as are not inclined to brave the rigors of a New 

 England winter begin their longer journey io southern waters, and up to the middle 

 of December the migrant birds continue to pass. 



Dr. J. C. Philips says in his notes, published by Doctor Tov/nsend 

 (1905), referring to the fall migration at Wenham Lake, Massachu- 

 setts : 



It has always seemed to me that there were three more or less distinct flights of 

 black ducks observed here at the pond. The outside dates for these flights are about 

 as follows: September 14 to October 5; October 1 to October 31; November 1 to 

 November 20, These dates vary, of course, according to the season. 



The first of the ducks are hastened along by an early frost or cool northwest weather, 

 and their approach can be predicted almost to a certainty by a flight of ospreys, which 

 precedes and accompanies them. The ospreys begin to come by in some numbers 

 two or three days before the ducks arrive, and their flight seems to be at its height 

 during the first day or two of the duck flight. Black ducks on this flight are very 

 often accompanied by pintail and blue-winged teal. 



The first and second flights sometimes merge into one another, but are commonly 

 separated by an interval of some days to a week, or more, during wluch time few 

 birds are observed. The second flight is scattered over a longer period and is accom- 

 panied by various other varieties of ducks. Widgeon and mallard are often seen 

 with black duck at this time and sometimes pintail. The red-legged subspecies is 

 common during the flight but rare among the early ducks. The second flight is much 

 more pronounced during certain weather. Thus on the end of a stormy northwest 

 wind or during brisk southwest weather, more birds are noted than at other times. 

 At night, there are apparently many bunches which alight in the pond for a very 

 short period of rest, and which leave of their own accord. These night flights are 

 seen almost entirely during southwest winds and probably occur as often on dark as 

 on moonlight nights. 



