THE OSPREY. 



01 



other ref^-ions, but on various occasons since 

 early tertiary or perhaps cretacious times. 



The extent of differentiation and sej^reg-ation 

 of the predominant Achatinellines almost com- 

 pels us to believe that their prog-enitors came 

 upon the islands very early. With the present 

 feeble lig'ht to g-uide us it seenis^ to be more 

 likely that these progenitors came from the 

 west of the islands. 



As to the other forms, there appears to be no 

 evidence that they have been derived from the 

 east — that is. from America. Their relation- 

 ships, on the whole, are with forms of the Poly- 

 nesian islands or even the Asiatic mainland. 

 Nevertheless, the evidence is not conclusive and 

 it may be yet proved that an American element 

 has entered into the islands. 



In fine, the evidence seems to indicate that 

 the terrestrial Gasteropod fauna of the Hawaiian 

 Islands has been mainly derived from sources 

 western to the archipelago and thus we have an 



apparently striking- contrast between the origins 

 of the characteristic elements of the Bird fauna 

 and the Shell f;uni;i. The evidence maj', how. 

 ever, turn out to be superficial. The reality can 

 only be positively demonstrated — or falsified- 

 when detailed comparative anatomy has been 

 applied to the taxonomy of the Achatinellines 

 and to sundry other forms in the islands as well 

 as outside of the archipelag-o. In the birds, we 

 have had a similar stage. As long as the anat- 

 omy was unknown, we had not the critei ia to 

 decide what were the relations of many of the 

 Hawaiian species. In fact, the last word has 

 not yet been said of the birds and it may turn 

 out that we will have to amend our notions 

 respecting- the affinities of some of them even. 

 This, too, may lead to new conceptions of the 

 origin of the avifauna. In the meantime, we 

 had best accept the conclusions of our learned 

 friend, Dx*. Stejneger, but with a will to alter 

 our opinion if the evidence shall compel. 



Letters. 



WHAT IS THE SOUKALKK DUCK? 



New York, Dec. 25, 1899. 

 Editors of the Osprev: 



In yesterday's (Sunday's) Sun of this city there 

 is a long article on "Shooting Squealer Duck" 

 in Arkansas which I send to you herewith. I 

 have tried unsuccessfully to identify' the duck, 

 but I suppose it must have been described as so 

 prominent a bird could scarcely have escaped 

 recognition till the present time. It is described 

 as being especially fond of acorns or mast. For 

 the rest, let the writer speak for himself. 



"This duck is in reality a variety of widgeon, 

 though in habits it resembles the wood duck. 

 It will even light in trees occasionally, though 

 it does not nest in them. It gets its name from 

 the peculiar whistlings sound made by its wing-s 

 when it is in rapid flight. This whistle at times 

 becomes a positive squeal. 



"The duck is about the size of the teal, with a 

 pronounced topnot of black feathers. It is of a 

 dark brown with less brilliant coloration of the 

 wings. It is also plumper of bodA' and will 

 weigh more. In flight it is much like the teal, 

 having the same rapid beat of the wings and it 

 gets throug-h the air almost as fast. It is more 

 difficult shooting, because it is rarely found on 

 open water. Deep buried in the woods, it spends 

 the winter exploring the pond bottoms. It darts 

 between trees and through branches at light- 

 ning speed and no man not a high-class snap- 

 shot can hope to make a respectable bag- though 

 the "squealers" be flying past at the rate of one 

 every tive minutes in the day. It derives its re- 

 markable steering- power from its tail, which is 

 large and strong and may be elevated or de- 

 pressed several degrees at the will of its owner. 

 A 'squealer' in full flig-ht, suddenly perceiv- 



ing some danger ahead, will dart almost at 

 right angles to its course. In turning it does 

 not describe a wide curve, as do all other ducks. 

 The depression of its tail and the depressioxi of 

 one wing'- and elevation (jf the other spin it half 

 round almost as if it were a top. In another 

 second it is out of sight, buzzing amid the green 

 branches as if it were a drag-on fly". 



"There is no form of shooting- which more se- 

 verely tests the capabilities of the marksman, 

 because aim must be taken in half a second and 

 in that half-second every calculation must be 

 made with something approaching to exactness. 

 Often the passing birds are nearly as high as 

 the tops of the tall trees. The space they cross 

 is never more than fifty yards wide and some- 

 times it is not more than twentA'-five yards. A 

 "squealer" under full headway will fly twenty- 

 five yards in much less than a second. If it be 

 going at its best speed and one hundred feet 

 high, it will be necessary for the ducker far 

 below to lead it by not less than a dozen feet. 

 Under these circumstances, it is not surprising 

 that even the best of g-unncrs can do no better 

 than one in three. 



"The 'squealer' is the only iiigh-diving" bird 

 known to this section and .some of its feats in 

 this way are marvelous. It is rarely injured in 

 its mad plunges, seeming to possess an instinc- 

 tive knowledge of the depth of the muddy water 

 and the proper force with which the descent 

 should be made. Indeed, the skill with which 

 it steers itself at full speed in and out among 

 giant limbs of the trees is not less marvelous 

 that its apparent recklessness of plunge. The 

 'squealer' never hurts itself in darting through 

 the forest unless it has been severely wounded. 



