534 General Notes. Loct. 



The properties of all the Currituck Clubs are now gunned more syste- 

 matically than in the old days, so that larger yearly averages do not 

 necessarily point to an increase in actual numbers of the species. 



A fact relative to the dispersal of the Mallard is brought out plainly by 

 comparing the proportionate numbers of Mallards and Black Ducks month 

 by month at Swan Isle. The season opens November 10 and ends the first 

 of March. I give below the proportion of Mallards to Blacks month by 

 month for the three seasons, 1909-10, 1910-11, 1911-12, and also the 

 actual numbers of the Mallards themselves. 



It is easy to see that there is a great f alUng off of Mallards from November 

 to January. I believe that the diminishing numbers after November 

 indicate the passing along of a flight. 



I should attribute the extraordinarily small numbers of Mallards killed 

 in the past season, 1911-12, at Swan Isle, to the fact that the Club cut 

 down by at least one-half the usual output of bait, were it not for the 

 fact that this was a very lean year for Mallards at the Currituck Club, 

 the proportion being only 17% and the actual numbers well under one 

 half of the usual bag. This is very nearly as low as the bad Mallard year 

 of 1899-1900 which as mentioned above gave only 15%. Mr. Thayer 

 assures me that the Currituck Club records can be absolutely relied upon, 

 and I can vouch for the last three years at Swan Isle. — J. C. Phillips, 

 Wenhavt, Mass. 



Dispersal of the Australian Duck (Anas superciliosa). — In 1911 an 

 old pair of these birds was allowed to hatch and bring up nine young. 

 These were banded on August 17 (not unfortunately with the American 

 Association bands), and placed in the Wood Duck pond, where they grew 

 their flight feathers. Late in September these young birds began to move 

 about the place. They remained very tame. I know of three that were 

 shot in Wenham. Two individuals, however, stayed about until December 

 17. By that time they had become fairly wild, having of course been more 

 or less persecuted. After December 17 none was seen until mid-winter, 

 when on February 20, 1912, a single one came back and was found in the 

 winter duck yard. It allowed a close approach so that its band was plainly 

 visible, and then flushed and flew away in an easterly direction. Up to the 

 present date (Aug. 20) no more have returned. 



The AustraUan duck. Anas superciliosa (I disregard the genus Polionetia 

 because it serves no useful purpose as far as I am aware), is a widely dis- 

 tributed species, probably nearly, if not entirely non-migratory. As given 



