THE COURTSHIP OF THE MALLARD. 7 



The order of these actions is very often reversed, for 

 instance, that which I have given as No. 2 is very 

 frequently followed by No. 4, but No. 1 is almost always 

 the first, while No. 5 is the last, and is always gone through 

 by the drake immediately after treading has taken 

 place. 



The courtships of the Teal {Nettion crecca), Pintail 

 {Dafila acuta), and Gadwall {Anas strepera) are very 

 similar to that of the Mallard, but I have never seen any 

 of them perform action No. 5. The Teal and the Pintail 

 utter a beautiful, low, double whistle, and the Teal in 

 action No. 4 makes the back of its head and tail meet 

 over its back. 



Adult Mallards commence " displaying " in October 

 so soon as their winter-plumage is complete, and I have 

 seen them " display " when in full eclipse-plumage ! 

 Immature drakes begin to " display " about the same 

 ^ime, even before they are in full winter-dress. I have 

 seen immature Garganey drakes {Querquedula circia) 

 displaying when only just beginning to assume their 

 adult-plumage, but this is not so surprising if one judges 

 by the age of the bird since immature Garganeys do net 

 come into winter-plumage until months after Mallards 

 of the same age, and adult drakes are much longer in 

 eclipse-plumage than other surface-feeding ducks with 

 the exception of individual Shovelers. The courtship 

 of the Garganey is a very dull affair compared to that of 

 the Teal. One finds this autumnal display in many birds, 

 for instance. Blackcock repair to their playing grounds 

 and go through a half-hearted spring " show " so soon 

 as they have finished the moult. One often hears 

 cock Pheasants utter their spring-call followed by the 

 characteristic whirr of their wings in November. Snipe 

 drum freely during this month just before dark, though 

 I have never heard a Snipe drumming in the day-time 

 during November, but I daresay that other people may 

 have done so. 



