Mallard 2. Mayhew 1949 May 14 Conway Ranch, 2 miles east of Woodland, Yolo County, Calif. close proximity to one another. This wasn't seen last week, so apparently the territories are not being defended as much as before. On one occasion, 10 males were seen pursuing a single female. The entire procession dropped to the south bank of the drainage ditch at the south end of the ranch. Very shortly, however, the birds again rose singly & in pairs, but the female did not rise while I was watching. May 22 In a flooded rice field, 11 males were seen in a rather loose group in one rice check. In addition, one pair of ducks were seen within 50 yards of this group of drakes. a hen was flushed from a ditch bank (south side) about 100 yards west of the end of a row of trees (2 rice levees from the trees), which was near a tule swamp just east of the main canal. She had laid one egg at the spot, but there had been no nest construction whatever. The egg was lying on the ground, surrounded by fairly high weeds (24 inches average height). The egg was warm to the touch, as though she had been sitting on it, but not as warm as a newly laid egg usually feels. She didn't circle the area as the hens usually circle their nests when disturbed,