52 NORTH AMERICAN DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 



undoubtedly some pairs breed in Quebec and southern Labrador, 

 though it is as yet unrecorded from there, from the Maritime Provinces, 

 and from Newfoundland, except as a rather rare visitant. In Manitoba 

 and westward to British Columbia it becomes more common as a 

 breeder, and ranges north to Fort Churchill, Fort Rae, the mouth of 

 the Mackenzie, and the upper Yukon, rarely to the Yukon mouth. 

 It has been taken as a rare straggler on the west coast of Greenland 

 (Godhaven, October; Frederikshaab), and a few times in Europe. 



Wi7iter range. — A single specimen was found in the market at 

 Habana, and this constitutes the only record south of the eastern 

 United States. To the westward a few enter Mexico to the Valley of 

 Mexico and Lower California to San Quentin. It is a common winter 

 resident of the southern half of the United States, north to Massachu- 

 setts; Lakes Ontario, Huron, and Michigan; Utah, Idaho, British 

 Columbia, Unalaska Island, and the Near Islands. It is casual in 

 winter in the Bermudas and there is one record from the Commander 

 Islands, Kamchatka. 



Spring migi'ation. — As with most of the hardy ducks, spring migra- 

 tion begins in February, and by the middle of March the buffle-head is 

 fairl}" common in the district where it wintei's only locally and during 

 exceptionally mild seasons. Average dates of arrival are : Renovo, Pa. , 

 March 18 (earliest February 29, 1904); New Brunswick and Nova 

 Scotia, March 22; central Indiana, March 2; northern Illinois, March 

 21; southern Michigan, March 31 (earliest March 1, 1887); southern 

 Ontario, April 7 (earliest April 1, 1903); Ottawa, Ontario, April 21 

 (earliest March 26, 1898); southern Iowa, March 22 (earliest March 1, 

 1891); Heron Lake, Minn., March 26 (earliest March 6, 1889); south- 

 eastern Minnesota, April 5; Elk River, Minn., April 11; central South 

 Dakota, April 8; southern Manitoba, April 25; Osier, Saskatchewan, 

 May 2, 1893; Fort Simpson, Mackenzie, May 11, 1901. Eggs have 

 been taken at Fort Simpson May 25, 1860, and at Fort Yukon, June 7, 

 1862. 



Fall migration. — This species is late in entering the United States, 

 September records being rare, except in the extreme northern part, 

 and even here the species is scarcely common before the middle of 

 October. At Renovo, Pa., the average date of arrival is November 

 10, though in 1901 the first was seen September 21. The average date 

 of the last migrants at Montreal was November 1, and at Ottawa, 

 Ontario, November 8. One was taken at Fort Reliance, on the upper 

 Yukon, October 7. 



Harelda hyemalis (Linn.)- Old-squaw. 



Breeding range. — The summer home of this species includes the 

 Arctic coasts and most of the islands. It is abundant to the northern 

 part of Banks Land and thence east to North Somerset Island and the 



