388 



HiKFLDA HYFMiLIS (Baird). 



THE LONGTAILBD DUCK : OLD SQUAW. 



SpecifiG Character. — Adult, male — Winter — Forehead, crown, occiput, naf 3, 

 chin, throat, lower paiu of the neck all round, and upper part of the jugulum and 

 back, white ; lores, cheeks, and orbital regions light mouse gray, the eyelids 

 white,- a large oblong space covering the sides of the neck, black, becoming gray- 

 ish brown in its lower portion. Middle of the back, rump, upper tail coverts, tai^^ 

 wings, lower pait of the jugulum, whole breast and upper part of the abdomen 

 black; the pectoral markings are very abruptly defined both anteriorly and 

 posteriorly, the latter with a strong convex outline. Scapulars glaucous white 

 or very pale pearl gray. Basal half of the bill black, the terminal portion orange 

 yellow with the nail bluish gray ; iris bright carmine ; feet light plumbeous, the 

 webs dusky and claws black. 



Adult female in winter. — Head, neck, and lower parts, chiefly white ; fore- 

 head medially and crown dusky; auricular region, chin and throat tinged with 

 the same ; jugulum light dingy gray. Upper parts dusky brown, the scapulars 

 bordered with grayish fulvous, or light raw umber brown, some of the feathers 

 tipped with pale ashy. 



Total length about 23.00 inches ; extent 30.00 ; wing 8.50 ; culmen 1.10 ; 

 tarsus 1.35 ; middle toe 1.90. Female smaller. 



Habitat. — Northern Hemisphere. In America south to the Potomac and 

 Ohio rivers. This bird is known by a number of names such as Co ween, Long- 

 tailed Duck, Old Wife, Old Squaw, South-south Southerly, the latter name from 

 its jabbering note. It is distributed over nearly the whole of North America and 

 is very common throughout Ontario remaining upon its southern waters most of 

 the winter. It passes north early in the spring to breed, the female making her 

 nest near the edge of the water and laying from 6 to 12 eo-^s. It is a very hand - 

 some bird, but is utterly useless for the table. Its food being chiefly fish and 

 water insects its flesh is black, rank, and fishy. The Coweens assemble on the 

 Niagara river in large numbers, and on a still morning may be heard for a long- 

 distance uttering their peculiar gabbling cry. 



30 (c). 



