56 LAMPRONESSA SPONSA 



It seems to be a characteristic of both the Carolina and the Mandarin that a flock 

 on the wing keeps in no special formation; there is little "close order," groups contin- 

 ually forming, separating, and reforming, with one or two individuals lagging far 

 behind. 



William Brewster (1924) mentions an "odd habit of stopping abruptly in mid-air 

 to twitch their necks and shake their wings convulsively a few times before continu- 

 ing on their way." I have never noticed this, but Mr. Brewster's words bring up the 

 picture of similar curious "fluttering" pauses often seen in Widgeon. 



Audubon mentions the species as flying in flocks of thirty to fifty or more in Louisi- 

 ana and Kentucky, and in eastern Massachusetts at various times in early autumn I 

 have seen as many as thirty gathered together. But ordinarily, of course, Carolina 

 Ducks are now seen as single birds, pairs, or trios, at least in the New England 

 States. I doubt if it was ever a species that travelled in very large companies. 



In especially favorable places where good protection is offered it is still possible 

 to see a really great assemblage of birds gathered together in a very small area of 

 some secluded swamp or woodland pond. But when these companies are disturbed, 

 they break up into the typical migrating (family?) flocks of a dozen or so. 



Association with other Species. According to my own observation Carolina 

 Ducks seldom associate intimately with other Anatidas. I have many times watched 

 single birds that came to the shore in front of a "gunning stand" where numerous 

 tame Mallard decoys were kept. The solitary Carolina Duck would always walk 

 out upon the beach to rest or preen its feathers at some distance from the decoy 

 ducks. In breeding these birds in captivity, I was never really successful until I had 

 removed all other species from the pond. Under artificial conditions they live in 

 close and friendly contact with Mandarins. 



Audubon noted that during the winter they allow ducks of different species to 

 associate with them, but this is certainly not characteristic. 



Voice. The voice of this species is so peculiar that it requires detailed description. 

 The two sexes have entirely different notes. I extract freely from Heinroth's writ- 

 ings as he made so complete a study. In the male the voice is a high chirping ji or a 

 sohjiib, with the accent on the second, prolonged syllable; this sound is not audible 

 at any great distance. When accompanying the female in the search for a nest, the 

 male utters a soft and frequently repeated jib-jib, jib, jib. The note of the male is 

 modified in various ways, and when uttering louder tones he raises his crest at each 

 individual sound. Heinroth likens the chirping and whispering of several males 

 heard in the dark to the sound of a company of rats. The female has a variety of 

 calls. American writers usually express it by the syllables hoe-eek or oe-eek, and it is 

 often wrongly attributed to the male. This is the note most commonly heard, and it 



