OLD CROW 171 



persistently splashing as they quarreled. After May 24 an occasional 

 female was seen swimming alone in marshy pools as if settled there 

 for nesting, but on June 1 two pursuit flights were seen to indicate 

 that courting continued. On June 15 about a dozen males were peace- 

 fully scattered on a small lake, no longer disturbed to jealousy by 

 impulses of sex, although the testes of a specimen had not regressed 

 in size. There were no females in view and the males flew away as if 

 unattached to the locality. 



The combative nature of male teal is illustrated in an Indian story. 

 Once Swan declared himself, as the largest of the birds, their chief. 

 In order to make his position understood he called all birds to appear 

 before him and defeated each species in combat. At last only Teal 

 had not entered the contest, or demonstration, and when he was sum- 

 moned he appeared with a bandage stained with old blood over his 

 head and said that he was not in fit condition to fight. As Swan in 

 sisted that Teal, like every other bird, must take his turn, with ap- 

 parent reluctance Teal said that if he must light he would do liis best. 

 In a short struggle Teal knocked Swan to the ground. Swan claimed 

 he had not been honestly beaten and attacked again. This time Teal 

 threw Swan down and only released hun after he had admitted defeat. 



Teal nest in Arctic Alaska, Yukon, and Mackenzie. In Alaska 

 they nest north of tree line at Anaktuvuk, but they are rare on the 

 Arctic coast (Bailey, 1948). 



The Indian name is Tarui kaka. 



Mareca americana (Gmelin) 



American widgeons were first identified by one of a pair that 

 was shot on May 17. Some probably arrived earlier, but the 

 early migratory flight contamed mainly pintails and mallards. From 

 May 17 to 19 some flocks contained 20 or 30 widgeons; other flocks 

 mingled widgeons, mallards, and pintails in various proportions. 

 Many of these flocks of mingled species appeared from the west, 

 settled temporarily and flew eastAvard as if organized for migrations 

 together. Other groupings of mingled species were formed when 

 scattered ducks accumulated by alighting at a favored or already oc- 

 cupied resting place. Individuals or groups seemed to detach them- 

 selves readily from these associations. All the mixed flocks seen after 

 about May 20 were apparently loose and temporary associations. As 

 with the pintails, flocks containing only widgeons were better syn- 

 chronized in action and usually held to decided easterly course. 



The first established pair was noticed on May 30, and many were 

 seen after that date along the river, but there was no time during 

 June when small flocks might not be seen. The number estimated to 



