MALLARD 
23 
An observation made through a telescope against the moon showed a flock which 
was flve miles away and three thousand feet high (Service, 1903). Judging from the 
height at which geese are often seen, and according to the numerous observations 
made by Gatke in Helgoland, much greater altitudes are often reached; but recent 
observers consider that Gatke overestimated the ordinary altitude of migrants. 
This subject was well summed up by Meinertzhagen (1921) who concluded that 
the bulk of the movement takes place below 3000 feet, mostly at night, and that 
anything above 5000 feet must be considered exceptional. 
No duck is able to glide in the sense that a gull does, but they may scale down- 
ward for long distances with scarcely any wing movement. They can hover, as they 
often do over decoys, with a slight quivering of the wings. In alighting, they almost 
always head up wind, and at such times strike the water in a neat manner, without 
much splashing, particularly if there is a strong breeze. But if the wind is light or at 
their backs they are forced to rear up and “back pedal” with their wings, assuming 
extremely awkward positions which are best shown by instantaneous photographs. 
Ducks do, at times, alight by mistake on thin, clear ice, affording then an amusing 
sight, for they slide long distances and even turn somersaults before their headway 
is checked. 
Mallards do not, as a rule, travel in very large flocks, certainly not in such aggre- 
gations as do Widgeons, Teals and Pintails. During the middle of the winter the 
flocks begin to break into pairs after they settle down to feed, and when single pairs 
are flying about, the female almost always leads. Flocks of twenty or thirty might 
be spoken of as typical, and although companies numbering thousands may be seen 
in favorite feeding areas, these invariably break up into smaller flocks when flushed. 
On migration they travel usually by night, though in severe weather they may 
often be seen migrating by day, or in clear weather before sunrise. On short flights 
about the feeding grounds there is no particular formation. Large numbers often 
straggle out in irregular clouds. On migration, however, though not frequently ob- 
serving regular V- or arrow-shapes, they fall into orderly wedge-shaped flocks or long 
wavering slanting lines which change continuously. Such flocks seldom make a noise, 
though I have heard occasional low chuckling notes when they were near enough. 
Identification of Mallards on the wing is usually easy. The large size and striking 
color-pattern of the male is evident at a long distance, but in poor light it is not pos- 
sible to tell Mallards from Black Ducks. The light color and prominent wing-bars 
of the female make her conspicuous at even greater ranges. Both Mallards and 
Black Ducks have a wing “arc” which is rather characteristic; that is the wings 
(except when the bird is rising rapidly) are not depressed much below the level of 
the body. 
Sense Organs. There seems to be a deep-rooted conviction among sportsmen 
