638 Report of State Geologist. 



below, silvery gray; Mliitisli patches on each side of the head; bill, 

 black; feet, dark, tinged with reddish; webs, black. 



Length, about 30.00-23.00; wing, 9.25-9.75; bill, 1.30-1.60; tarsus, 

 1.55-1.85. 



Range. — Noi-th America. Breeds northward from Labrador 

 through British America and Alaska; south in winter in interior to 

 southern Indiana; on coasts to Florida and Jamaica, and Lower Cali- 

 fornia. 



Nesf, on ground in grass, near water. J^ggs, 5; pale buff, or pale 

 creamy buff; 3.47 by 1.70. 



Rare winter resident on Lake Michigan; of occasional occurrence 

 elsewhere. 



An immature specimen was taken by Dr. F. Stein on the lower Wa- 

 bash River, near Mt. Carmel, 111., in October, 1875. That same fall 

 Mr. E. W. Nelson says quite a number of specimens were taken on the 

 Calumet marshes, and many others seen. (Birds of N. E. 111., p. 143.) 

 That is the only year for which I have been able to obtain records. It 

 is, however, given by Mr. H. jSTehrling as not uncommon on Lake 

 Michigan. Mr. N. A. Eddy says one specimen was taken at the mouth 

 of the Saginaw River in 1884. It is often quite common in fall mi- 

 grations. It is frequently taken by the duck hunter, who calls it the 

 "booby-duck." They regard it as unfit to eat, but when taken in fresh 

 water it is excellent eating. (Cook, Birds of Michigan, p. 45.) 



On August 23, 1878, 1 visited Stewart Island, about ten miles to the 

 seaward of St. Michaels. As I neared the island in my kyak, I found 

 the water literally black with the males of this species, which were 

 united in an enormous flock, forming a continuous band around the 

 outer end of the island for a distance of about ten miles in length, and 

 from one-half to three-fourths of a mile in width. As the boat ap- 

 proached them, those nearest began to rise heavily by aid of wings and 

 feet from the glassy surface of the gently undulating, but calm, water. 

 The first to rise communicated the alarm to those beyond, until as far 

 as could be seen the water was covered with flapping wings, and the air 

 filled with a roar like that of a cataract. The rapid vibrations produced 

 in the air by tens of thousands of wings could be plainly felt. In all 

 my northern experience among the water fowl which flock there in 

 summer, I never saw any approach to the number of large birds gath- 

 ered here in one flock, nor shall I soon forget the grand effect pro- 

 duced by this enormous body of birds as they took wing and swept to 

 sea in a great black cloud, and settled again a mile or so away. (Nel- 

 son's Rept. N. H. Coll. in Alaska, p. 81.) 



