102 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



lake, Manitoba, May 25th, 1890. The eggs are more rounded than 

 those of any other duck. The eggs of the buffle-head are larger than 

 those of the teal and of a darker and warmer tint. On June nth, 

 1906, my son and I found two nests of this bird. Both were 

 built in holes in poplar trees. The birds in both cases sat close, the 

 female flying out of the hole on the tree trunk being struck with a 

 stick. (Raine.) 



Almost every lake in the Cariboo district has one or more pairs 

 of these charming little ducks. Unlike the Barrow golden-eye, the 

 nests were always in trees close to, or but a short distance away 

 from water. These nests were invariably the nesting holes of 

 flickers, and in most cases had been used several years in succession 

 by the ducks. The holes were in aspen trees, from five to twenty 

 feet from the ground, and the entrance was not more than three and a 

 quarter inches in diameter. The number of eggs ranged from two 

 to nine, eight being the average; in colour they resemble old ivory, 

 without any tinge of green. I have several times seen the eggs of 

 this duck described as "dusky green", but these have evidently 

 been the eggs of some species of teal. The female buffle-head is a 

 very close sitter, never leaving the nest until the hole was sawed 

 out, and in most cases I had to lift the bird and throw her up in 

 the air, when she would make a bee-line for the nearest lake, where 

 her mate would be slowly swimming up and down unconscious of 

 the violation of his home. In many cases the eggs had fine cracks, 

 evidently made by the compression of the bird's body when enter- 

 ing the small aperture. (Brooks.) 



LVII. HARELDA Stephens. 1824. 

 154. Old-squaw. Long-tailed Duck. 



Harelda hy emails (Linn.) C. L. Brehm, 1855. 



Common on the whole coast of Greenland, breeds also on the 

 Parr>^ islands, and on the land westward of Davis strait. (Arct. 

 Man.) Very common along the whole Atlantic coast south of 

 Greenland. Breeds in Ungava bay (Turner), and Low reports it 

 to be common ever3nvhere in Hudson bay and northward wherever 

 there are small islands along the shore suitable for breeding. Spread- 

 borough noticed a pair off Cape Jones, in June, 1896. Payne found 



