458 HARLEQUIN DUCK. 



have been obtained on the Swedish coast ; and I have examined, in 

 a private collection at Lausanne, a bird of that sex, shot on Lake 

 Leman on September 12th 1865, while occurrences are recorded on 

 the lakes of Morat, Zurich and Constance. This species has not 

 been observed in Spitsbergen, Novaya Zemlya, nor in Siberia as far 

 as the Lena delta, but eastward it is found on the waters of the 

 highlands from Lake Baikal to the Stanovoi Mountains and Kam- 

 chatka, whence, by way of the Kuril Islands, it can be traced to 

 Northern Japan in winter. It inhabits the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 

 California down to the head-waters of the Stanislaus at about 4,000 

 feet of elevation, the Fur-countries (except the Barren Grounds) and 

 Newfoundland ; migrating as far south as St. Louis, Missouri, in 

 winter. In Greenland it has been observed on both coasts and up to 

 about lat. 70° N. on the east. In Iceland it appears to be resident, 

 migrating from the northern to the southern districts in winter. 



Mr. Shepherd observed this species in considerable numbers in 

 the north-west of Iceland, frequenting the Laxa and other rapid 

 streams ; its nests were in holes in the banks, and, near Myvatn, in 

 the lava, or under stones ; while in the south-east Mr. H. J. Pearson 

 found them also under wild angelica and trailing plants. The eggs, 

 normally 7 in number, are of a warm creamy colour : measurements 

 2 '2 by 17 in. The food consists of small molluscs, crustaceans and 

 marine insects in winter ; and in summer the bird hunts for the 

 larvae of Ephemerides among the stones in the shallows of the swiftest 

 rivers (H. H. Slater). 



The adult male has a large white patch on each side of the base 

 of the bill, separated by a median black line running to the nape 

 and margined with white and chestnut ; behind each eye a white spot, 

 and lower down a stripe of the same colour ; rest of the head, throat 

 and neck bluish-black, with an imperfect collar of white margined 

 with black ; in a line with the closed wing a broader but much shorter 

 crescentic half-band of white (the collar and bands are too extensive 

 in the wood-cut) ; upper parts chiefly bluish-black, with some white 

 stripes and spots on the scapulars, secondaries and wing-coverts ; 

 wing-patch purple ; breast and abdomen dark greyish-brown ; flanks 

 rich chestnut ; a small white spot on each side of the tail-coverts ; 

 bill bluish-black ; i rides orange ; legs and feet lead-colour. Length 

 1 7 in. ; wing 8 in. The female is smaller, of a nearly uniform brown- 

 colour above, mottled on the front of the neck ; at the base of the 

 bill and behind each eye are patches of white, varying in purity ; 

 belly dull white. 



