HARLEQUIN DUCK. 595 



having been captured in Yorkshire^ viz. one on the river Don above Don- 

 caster, one at Filey (now in the collection of Mr. Whitaker), and a third 

 at Hornby Decoy ; but the evidence either of their authenticity or identi- 

 fication is far from being satisfactory (Handbook Vert. Fauna Yorksh. 

 P-57). 



The Harlequin Duck is almost a circumpolar bird. It is a resident in 

 Iceland, and a summer visitor to Greenland south of the Arctic circle ; 

 thence its breeding-range extends westwards between lat. 45° and 65° 

 across North America. It winters in considerable numbers on the great 

 American lakes, but on the Aleutian Islands it is a resident. In Eastern 

 Siberia its breeding-range extends from the Stanavoi Mountains through 

 the valley of the Amoor as far west as Lake Baikal. The only evidence 

 of its breeding west of Lake Baikal in the Old World is that of Sabanaeff, 

 who states that it breeds in the Ural and in the Government of Yaioslav. 

 Eversmann also records it from the Ural Mountains, and Nordraann from 

 Finland ; Henke says that it is a rare summer visitor to Archangel, and it 

 has occurred once in Sweden, but it is doubtful whether it has ever visited 

 Norway. The East-Siberian birds seldom migrate further south than the 

 Kurile Islands and Yezo, though they are occasionally found on the shores 

 of the main island of Japan. It has no near ally. 



The habits of the Harlequin Duck are very imperfectly known. During 

 the breeding-season it frequents the most secluded spots on the banks of 

 rivers, preferring the small tributaries to the main stream. It loves to 

 haunt the rapid-flowing torrents and the broken water below falls, and is 

 said to be most abundant at the mouths of the rivers it frequents. Dall, 

 describing its habits in Alaska, says that it is a comparatively solitary 

 bird, living in pairs, and is rarely seen in small flocks ; but Elliott states 

 that on the Pribylov Islands further north it is generally seen in flocks of 

 fifty or sixty. It dives with great ease and quickness, often gambolling in 

 the water or chasing its mate for mere amusement. When alarmed, it 

 generally dives instantly, and swims with its body hidden entirely under 

 water, or with only its head exposed. Its flight is powerful and swift, and 

 it swims quickly and buoyantly, sitting moderately high out of the water. 

 Its food consists of small mollusks, and it often dives for a considerable 

 distance to pick them from the rocks. It also eats marine insects, small fish, 

 and the buds, leaves, and seeds of water-plants. It is said by Mr. H. W. 

 Elliott to be a very silent bird ; but Naumann states, on the authority of 

 Faber, that it is a remarkably noisy one, especially in spring. 



There is no reliable information respecting the nesting-habits of the 

 Harlequin Duck. In South Siberia the eggs are laid from the end of May 

 onwards ; and Middendorff' found the young in down, not far from the 

 mouth of the Amoor, on tlie 5th of July. In Iceland the eggs are laid 

 early in June. In the Rocky Mountains, Cones found the young still 



