176 
Vol. XV 
UxNUSUAL NESTING SITE OF THE MALLARD 
By O. J. MURIE 
WITH THKUE photos BY THE AUTHOR 
T he nest of a common bird becomes of interest when found in an unusual 
situation, such as shows a deviation from the ordinary habits of the bird. 
When it was reported that a Mallard {Anas platyrliynichos) was nesting 
in a tree seven or eight feet from the ground, I at first thought a mistake had 
been made and that the bird observed was a Wood Duck, or possibly a mergan- 
ser. Hut whatever the species, the nest would be worth investigating. 
Accordingly, early in the morning of April 23, well supplied with camera 
and films, 1 boarded the ‘Tone", bound for the duck’s nest. 
It was a little more than two and a half hours run down the ^Yillamette 
and up the Columbia to the region about Columbia Slough. The steamei 
Fig. 48. Branch of Columbia Suough, Oregon, in vicinity of Mallard’s Nest 
stopped to put me off at “Taylor’s Landing", and I lost little time in looking up 
the farmer who was supposed to know about the extraordinary nest. I found 
him at breakfast. “Yes, it’s true," he affirmed. “It’s a mallard all right.’’ 
I explained to him my interest in the nest, and induced him to leave his 
work a while and take me to the place. We followed a branch of Columbia 
Slough, which is here lined on both sides with ash trees and tall cottonwoods. 
As we walked, my informant told me what he knew about the duck. He first 
found the nest, with ten eggs, about a week before, and a few days later, April 
18. o])ened one egg to see if the bird was sitting. He had in mind taking the 
eggs to place under a sitting hen, but found that incubation was alreadv well 
begun. 
We presently took a trail into the woods, aiui I was cautioned to w^alk quiet- 
ly, as we were nearing the ])lace. Soon the tree w'as pointed out to me, and we 
crept along carefully until wdthin thirty feet of it. M}^ guide show^ed me the 
location of the nest, but neither one of us could see the nest itself or the bird. I 
was just stepping on a log to get a better view, when off went the duck, a 
