44 BULLETIN 130, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



pectedly. Their flight is so swift and so erratic that it is very dif- 

 ficult to shoot them, but they are often very tame or stupid and are 

 quite as likely to swing in toward a gunners boat as away from it ; 

 then in turning they often bimch together so closely that a tempting 

 shot is offered; I have seen as many as nine dropped out of such a 

 bunch at one sliot. I have seen them, when shot at, dive out of the air 

 into the water, swim for a long distance under water, and then come 

 out of the crest of a wave flying at full speed, as if they had never 

 broken their flight. They can rise readily off the surface of even 

 smooth water, and when alighting on it often drop in abruptly with 

 an awkward splash. If there is a strong wind blowing they are more 

 inclined to circle into the wind, glide down gently against it on 

 set wings and alight with a sliding splash. Old squaws can generally 

 be recognized at a long distance by 'their peculiar method of flight 

 and by their striking color pattern, the white head and neck and the 

 short, sharp-pointed, black wings being very conspicuous. 



Toward spring they are particularly restless and active on the 

 wing and often indulge in aerial evolutions, such as Mr. Mackay 

 (1892) describes, as follows: 



These ducks have a habit of towering both in the spring and in the autumn, 

 usually in the afternoon, collecting in mild weather in large flocks if un- 

 disturbed, and going up in circles so high as to be scarcely discernible, often 

 coming down with a rush and great velocity, a portion of the flock scattering 

 and coming down in a zigzag course similar to the scoters when whistled down. 

 The noise of their wings can be heard for a great distance under such condi- 

 tions. In one such instance, at Ipswich Bay, Mass., a flock of several hundred 

 went up twice within an hour. 



The old squaw swims low in the water, but makes rapid progress 

 even in rough water; it rides easily over the ordinary waves, but 

 dives under the crest of a breaker with good judgment and precision. 

 It is one of the most expert of the diving ducks and will often dodge 

 under at the flash of a gun ; in diving the wings are partially opened 

 as if they were to be used under water ; probably they generally are 

 so used, but not always. It can dive to great depths if necessary. 

 Prof. W. B. Barrows "(1912) says: 



Several observers mention the fact that it is often caught in the gill nets 

 set in deep water for lake trout and whitefish (in the Great Lakes.) One 

 fisherman at St. Joseph told me most positively that he had seen it caught 

 repeatedly in net set at a depth of 30 fathoms (180 feet). 



Dr. A. W. Butler (1897) and Mr. E. H. Eaton (1910) both make 

 similar statements, and the latter says that " at Dunkirk, N. Y., be- 

 tween five and seven thousand have been taken at one haul " ; this 

 seems almost incredible. 



