•■Sp^O Mack AY on fhc Ohhquaxv. 'X'X'K 



and you will be surprised to learn, if you iiavc not had the expe- 

 rience, how little time is requisite for them to tear open the 

 breast of a Duck where the neck joins the body, and strip oft' 

 every particle of flesh to the bone. 



Oft'the south side of Nantucket Island the Oldsquaws collect iu 

 countless myriads. On Feb. 19, 1891, I saw a flock of Old- 

 squaws estimated to contain two thousand birds ofl' the south 

 shore of Nantucket about five miles from the island, and I know 

 of no better place to observe tliem in numbers. They arrive 

 about the third to the last week in October according to the 

 weather, and remain until the latter part of November; most of 

 them then move further south. The height of their abundance is 

 the first half of November. They congregate on 'Old Man's Rip' 

 and on 'Miacomet Rip,' shoal ground two to three miles from the 

 south shore of the island, the water there being three to four fathoms 

 deep. Here they live in security, with an abundance of food, 

 during the day. About three o'clock p.m. they commence to 

 leave this place for the Sound (the movement continuing until 

 after dark) where they regularly roost, flying around that part of the 

 island which affords them at the time the greatest shelter from 

 the wind, returning on the following morning to their feeding 

 ground by whichever route is the most favorable. An examina- 

 tion of the stomachs of some of those Oldsquaws which I shot in 

 the early morning coming from the Sound, showed them to be 

 empty. I think occasionally on clear calm nights they remain on 

 their feeding grounds, and do not go into the Sound to roost. 

 They apparently prefer to feed in water not more than three to 

 four fathoms deep or shallower, unless compelled in order to ob- 

 tain food. I have noticed north of Cape Cod during the winter 

 months that some Oldsquaws will feed and remain just back 

 of the line of breakers on the beaches, and also around the rocks, 

 but generally they are in small and detached groups of but few 

 individuals. 



Oldsquaws do not seem to be at all particular in regard to 

 their food, eating quite a variety, among which are the following. 

 A little shell fish, very small, resembling a diminutive quahog 

 {Venus mercenaria)^ but not one; sand fleas; short razor 

 shells {Siliqua costata) ; fresh water clams ; small white perch ; 

 small catfish ; penny shells ^Astartc castanea) ; red whale bait 

 (brit) ; shrimps; mussels; small blue-claw crabs ; and pond grass. 



