Habits op the Old-Squaw 119 



satisfied returned to its companions. Even when the Golden- 

 eyes were diving vigorously in the deeper water the Old-squaw 

 made no attempt to imitate them. In their association with 

 these other species the Old-squaws keep somewhat aloof, and 

 never display the same familiarity with the birds of a dif- 

 ferent species as do the individuals of a single species tOAvard 

 each other. They generally keep a certain distance away 

 from the birds of another species, and may even attack them 

 if they get too close ; similarly the birds of another species 

 may attack them. 



FOOD. 



The feeding ground is a place apart, but mainly close to 

 the resting ground, so that it is reached by a brief swim. 

 After feeding the birds return to their resting ground. When 

 a suitable feeding locality is once found the birds return to 

 it again and again, and likewise the same resting ground is 

 repeatedly chosen. 



The food no dou])t is almost entirely animal, and would 

 seem to be restricted to a single species of fish, the silvery 

 minnow, a long slender fish which fairly swarms about the 

 piers and in the lagoons. The stomach of an adult female 

 found floating in a lagoon April 1, 1912, contained approxi- 

 mately 140 of these minnows, all entire, besides many fi'ag- 

 ments of the same fish, but no other food. The fish averaged 

 about two inches in length. Another fish very abundant in 

 this region is the yellow perch, but it is rough and spiny, 

 and is no doubt avoided, as so much better food can be had. 

 AVhether any vegetable food is utilized is uncertain. An adult 

 male was seen to be nibbling along the sides of a bit of loose 

 piling, as if scraping off algae, but this may not have been 

 the case. 



The food is swallowed under water. Millais says concern- 

 ing a pair of tame birds that they swallowed pieces of food 

 smaller than a minnow below usually, Avhile larger pieces 

 w^ere brought to the surface and vigorously shaken. I have 

 yet to see, however, any bringing of food to the surface of 

 the water. 



