120 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 88 



DIVING. 



Millais says that iu diving- thej' use the feet only, but 

 according to Chapman after Towusend they use their Avings 

 (Birds of Eastern North America, p. 198, 1912). My owji 

 observations confirm those of Townsend. March 13, 1914, I 

 Avas fortunate in witnessing the diving of an exceedingly tame 

 bird about the piers. In this bird the movement of the wings 

 was very plainly visible for some time as it dived obliquely 

 in the clear water. 



In all but one instance the birds spread their wings and 

 disappear almost immediately, but the bird of March 13, 1914, 

 just noted, adopted a much more leisurely method. It first 

 put its head under water, then moved forward a feAV feet 

 with wings folded, then flapped its wings a few times, moving 

 forward all the while, and finally disappeared beneath the 

 surface. In feeding this action was invariable in all the 

 observations made. When frightened, however, this bird dove 

 as quickly as any other. The diving as observed in this bird, 

 as I have stated, was in a very oblique direction. The bird 

 started many feet out, diving towards the pier, and on reach- 

 ing it turned and worked along the pier for some distance 

 before rising to the surface. Once it was seen to dash just 

 beneath the water for the pier, and on reaching it come at 

 once to the top. In diving much splashing is made, which 

 is not the case in a duck which dives with folded wings, as 

 in the Lesser Scaup. The time spent under water was noted 

 in nineteen instances, the maximum being twenty-five seconds, 

 minimum ten seconds, average about eighteen seconds. Food 

 was probably easily obtained, however, and the water rela- 

 tively shallow. No doubt a much longer time could be 

 endured. Millais gives the usual time as being from thirty 

 seconds to one minute. 



VOICE. 



In flocks the Old-squaws are noisy birds, as noted by 

 ]\Iackay, and their cries are adequately described by him. 

 I have found single birds, however, with but one exception, 

 absolutelv silent. The single exception was the bird occur- 



