OLD-SQUAW 181 



as a game bird. But for the bird student or camera hunter, no more 

 interesting or handsome duck can be found. 



Little need here be said as to the probable future status of this 

 duck in California. It must simply be numbered with other migratory 

 salt-water species which have shown some decrease in numbers. On 

 the Atlantic coast, according to Forbush (1912, p. 138), the diminu- 

 tion has been deplorably rapid. That there has not been a greater 

 decrease here is due to its slight demand for table use, and also to its 

 elusive habits. Nevertheless, the ' market hunter has sent regular 

 quotas of these birds to the market each year. During the season 

 1895-96, 328 Buffle-heads were sold on the markets of San Francisco 

 and Los Angeles (Calif. Fish Comm., 1896, p. 42). In more recent 

 seasons this species has been classified along M'ith other species as 

 "small ducks," so that the exact number sold on the markets is not 

 known. 



Old-squaw 

 Harelda iiyemalis (Linnaeus) 



Other names — Loug-tailed Duck; South Southerly; Clangula hyemalis; 

 Harelda (jJacialis. 



Description — Adult male in winter: Head and neck mostly white; cheeks 

 ashy; a blackish brown patch on side of head and neck, and a blackish stripe 

 from ridge of bill up over crown of head; eyelids white; iris "bright car- 

 mine"; bill relatively small, narrowed towards tip, with well-developed nail, 

 basal half "black," "orange yellow" near end, nail "bluish-grey" (Audubon, 

 1843, VI, p. 383); upper part of breast and back, white, continuous with white 

 of head; rest of upper surface sooty brown; outer surface of closed wing 

 blackish brown, the speculum a little more warmly brown; lining of wing 

 and axillars dusky; elongated and pointed scapulars pearl gray, some with 

 dusky centers; breast and forepart of belly solidly blackish brown; sides, 

 flanks, rest of belly and under tail coverts, white; middle tail feathers greatly 

 narrowed and elongated (8.50 to 10.00 inches, 216 to 254 mm., long) and 

 blackish brown in color, others white with dusky centers; legs and feet "pale 

 slate," webs "dusky" (Sanford, Bishop and Van Dyke, 1903, p. 153). Adult 

 male in summer: Patch on side of head from bill to behind ear, encircling eye, 

 ashy; area immediately around and behind eye more purely white; bill as in 

 winter; rest of head and neck blackish brown except for patches of white on 

 back of head (made up of long feathers probably remnants of winter plumage) ; 

 back blackish brown, save for transverse area of reddish brown dark-centered 

 feathers across shoulders, and for elongated scapulars which are reddish brown 

 with blackish centers; outer surface of closed wing sooty brown; speculum 

 more brownish and not well defined; lining of wing and axillars dusky; breast 

 and forepart of belly solidly sooty brown continuous with same color on head; 

 sides, flanks, lower part of belly and under tail coverts, white; elongated 

 tail feathers as in adult winter plumage. Total length "20.75-23.00" inches 

 (527-584 mm.) (Eidgway, 1900, p. 106); folded wing 8.53-9.40 (217-238); 

 bill along culmen 1.04-1.14 (26.4-28.9); tarsus 1.35-1.48 (34.3-37.6) (seven 

 specimens from Alaska). Adult female in ivinter : Most of head and neck 



