FEBRUARY 1956 MONKHARD (ANAS PLATYRHYNCHOS) PAGE ? FEES (cont) LAKE MERRITT OAKLAND, ALAMEDA CO., CALIF. WITH BEAM + SINKING OF BODY WHEN ON TOP OF HER. F'S HEAD WAS THEN THORST UNDER WATER AND O "PUMPED" HIS BODY UP + DOWN A 2ND OR THEN SWAM OVER AND GRASPED IT THROAT FEATHERS WITH BILL. IST OF THEN SHAPED OFF O'S BACK AND SWAM BESIDE HER. BY THIS TIME 2 OR 3 MORE O'S WOO SWIM IN TO SCENE AND ONE OF THESE NEWCOMES A SWAM AMONG F DUCKING HEAD UNDER WATER + SHAKING WATER FROM BACK WHEN THEY STREIGHTENED UP, ANOTHER INSTANCE OF MATING NEARBY (50' AWAY) WAS PRECEDED BY O+F FLYING SAME DIRECTION AND DUCKING (NOT BOWING HEAD UP & DOWN IN UNISON 3 OR 4 TIMES. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY MOUNTING OF F BY O, SOME OF HER FEATHERS GRASPING BY O + SINKING OF F WITH HER HEAD HELD OVER ALSO. O PUMPING MOTIONS (CAUDATORY MOVEMENTS) FOR FIRST 2 OR 3 SECONDS TOOK PLACE WITH O CLOACAN REGION OVER F'S VAPER TAIL COVERTS BUT THEN O CLOACAN REGION WAS SHIPPED OVER THE LEFT SIDE OF F'S TAIL TO ALMOST MEET HER CLOACAN REGION. O PUMPING MOVEMENTS CONTINUED IN THIS POSITION FOR ONLY A SECOND OR TWO WHEN HE EITHER SLIPED OFF OR RELEASED THE F VOLUNTARILY. ANOTHER O WAS ALONG SIDE BUT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO INTERVAPT OR CONTINUE MATING.