LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN WILD FOWL 43 



Food. — Most of the oldsquaw's food is obtained by diving in water 

 of moderate depths to the beds of mussels {Mytelis edulis) and other 

 bivalve and univalve mollusks, but many of these are picked up in 

 shallow water, as the rising tide co^^ers the ledges; as the mussels 

 open their shells to procure food they are picked out by the ducks. 

 Much food is also picked up along the beaches, such as shrimps, 

 sand fleas, small mollusks, crustaceans, beetles, and marine insects, 

 together with some seaweeds and a quantity of sand. On their 

 breeding grounds the food consists largely of the roots, leaves, buds, 

 and seeds of various aquatic plants ; the young live largely on insects, 

 larvae, and soft animal food which abounds in the tundra pools. Dr. 

 F. Henry Yorke (1899) includes in their vegetable food teal moss 

 {Limnohium) ., blue flag (h^is), duckweed, water plantain, pond- 

 weed, and pickerel weed. 



George H. Mackay (1892), writing of the habits of this bird on 

 the Massachusetts coast, says : 



Oldsquaws do uot seem to be at all particular iu regard to their food, eating 

 quite a variety, among which are the following : A little shellfish, very small, 

 resembling a diminutive Quahog {Venus niercenaria) , but not one; sand fleas; 

 short razor shells (Siliqua costata) ; fresh-water clams; small white perch; 

 small catfish; penny shells {Astarte castariea) ; red whale bait (brit) ; shrimps; 

 mussels ; small blue-claw crabs ; and pond grass. It was during the early part 

 of the severe winter of 1888 that many oldsquaws sought the land. Alighting 

 on the uplands adjacent to the north shore of the island, they came in flocks 

 of a hundred or less, in order that they might obtain and eat the dried fine top 

 grass {AnthoxaiithinH odoratmn) which grows wild there; when engaged in 

 plucking it their movemeiits while on the ground were far from awkward, in 

 fact rather graceful, as they ran quickly about gathering the grass, some of 

 which was still in their mouths when shot. 



William B. Haynes (1901) observes: 



Most authorities agree that the oldsquaw is unedible when killed on the 

 Great Lakes, but here (Ohio) they vary their diet with worms and are far 

 better eating than scaup or goldeneye. I have found the common angleworm 

 and a large green worm resembling a cutworm in their throats. 



Edwin D. Hull (1914) says that in Jackson Park, Chicago, in 

 winter : 



The plants, rocks, and piers constitute a very favorable habitat for immense 

 swarms of silvery minnows {Notropis atherinoides) , which seem to be almost 

 if not entirely the sole source of food for the old squaw in this locality. The 

 stomach of an adult female found floating in a lagoon April 1, 1912, contained 

 approximately 140 of these minnows, all entire, besides many fragments of 

 the same fish, but no other food. The fish averaged about 2 inches in length. 



Behavi&r. — When migrating, old squaws fly high in the air in ir- 

 regular flocks or in Indian file, but at other times they fly close to 

 the water or a few feet above it, but almost never in a straight line ; ' 

 they twist and turn suddenly, showing the breast and belly alter- 

 nately^ like shore birds, swinging in broad circles most unex- 



