■5^0 Mackay on tJie Olchquaw. [October 



HABITS OF THE OLDSQUAW {CLANGULA HTE- 

 MALIS) IN NEW ENGLAND. 



BY GEORGE H. MACKAY. 



This sprightly little salt water Duck frequents the New Eng- 

 land coast during the colder half of the year, where it is well 

 known under the cognomens of Oldsquaw, Oldwife, and Qiiandy. 

 It is the swiftest flying as well as the noisest (in the spring) of 

 all the sea fowl which tarry with us. While flying, their wings 

 are moved with such short and rapid strokes that it is difficult to 

 follow the movement with the eye. As a result they pass from 

 one place to another in an incredibly short time, especially if flying 

 with the wind ; and even when flying against it, I have found it 

 necessary when shooting to make an allowance of six to eight feet 

 ahead and two feet over them in order to land my chai^ge of shot 

 in a passing flock at fifty yards, which serves as an illustration of 

 the rapidity of their movement under such conditions. Their 

 flight is frequently uneven, being on an upward and then on a 

 downward plane, and as a rule near the water, generally dodging 

 when a shot is fired at them. 



In the spring as flocks flew past my boat, I have often been 

 much interested and amused at their scolding or talking, if I may 

 so designate their curious notes, o-onc-o-onc-ough-egh-ough- 

 egh. In calm warm mornings in April and May I have often 

 seen them playing together, rushing at each other half out and 

 half under water, and so vigorously engaged as to cause the water 

 to fly in every direction. When wounded, they are most difiicult 

 to capture and extremely tenacious of life, diving at the flash of 

 a gun, skulking with body submerged and head and neck extended 

 and level with the surface of the water, and displaying an endur- 

 ance almost incredible. When shot at while flying, although 

 unhurt, they will occasionally dive from the wing ; if wing- 

 broken, they will frequently do so. An attempt to retrieve them 

 under such conditions is usually unsuccessful, and if it is a male 

 bird and the long tail feathers are perceived to be erected as it sits 

 on the water, prepare for a long and doubtful chase, for such birds 

 will turn around while under water and swim in an opposite 

 direction, and have recourse to every stratagem to escape capture. 



