294 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



The adult male is a very striking bird, the black crown 

 and belly contrasting with the white breast and back. The 

 female may be distinguished from other brown ducks by her 

 size and the presence in the flock of black and white males. 

 In April as the flocks fly north, the males and females 

 alternate irregularly and fly in long lines low over the 

 water. (See Mackay, " Auk/' vol. vii. pp. 315-319.) 



Harlequin Duck. Histrionicus histrionicus 

 17.00 



Ad. $. — General color leaden blue, changing into blue-black 

 on lower back, and bluish - gray on belly ; triangular crescent- 

 shaped spot in front of the eye, a round spot near the ears, a nar- 

 row collar around lower part of neck, a broad bar across breast, 

 and other markings on wing and breast white ; under side of neck 

 and bar on side of breast, centre of forehead, crown, and hind neck 

 black ; sides bright reddish-brown ; bill and feet slate. Ad. 9 • — 

 Head and 4 neck grayish-brown ; a white spot back of the ear ; 

 sides of head tinged with white ; sides grayish-brown ; bill and 

 feet slate. 



The Harlequin Duck is a rare but regular winter visitant 

 on the eastern half of the coast of Maine, frequenting 

 rocky ledges and islets well out at sea. It may be dis- 

 tinguished from other ducks by u the combination of small 

 size, dark color, and buoyancy, in air and water " (Norton, 

 " Auk," vol. xiii. pp. 229-234). The female may be dis- 

 tinguished from the female Old-squaw by the color of the 

 belly, which is grayish dusky instead of pure white. 



Old-squaw. Harelcla hy emails 

 $ 21.00. 9 16.00 



Ad. $ in winter. — Patch on side of neck blackish-brown 

 (occasionally nearly absent) ; region in front of eye light gray ; 

 rest of head, neck, upper breast, and back white ; back, wings, and 

 tail brown, two white patches extending down the back; breast 

 and upper belly brown ; lower belly white ; two middle tail- 

 feathers black, very long and narrow ; outer tail-feathers white ; 



