72 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



The eggs of this duck vary from buff to a creamy-white or gray- 

 ish-olive ; ellipsoidal in form and range from six to fourteen in num- 

 ber ; sizes from 1.95 to 2.05 long by 1.35 to 1.50 broad. 



154. Clangula hyemalis (LINN.) [623.] 



Old-squaw. 



Hab. Northern hemisphere; in North America south to the Potomac and the Ohio. Breeds far 

 northward. 



The Long-tailed Duck, Old Wife or South-southerly, as it is vari- 

 ously called, is distributed throughout the northern portions of the 

 globe, making its summer home in Arctic regions. A resident in 

 Greenland and breeds in various places in Iceland. The nests are 

 made on the margins of lakes or ponds, among low bushes or tall grass ; 

 they are constructed of grasses and generally, but not always, warmly 

 lined with down and feathers. The eggs are from six to twelve in 

 number. The Long-tailed Duck inhabits the more northern countries 

 of Europe a winter visitant to Great Britain, and it is found occa- 

 sionally in Germany and France. Abundant on the sea-coast of Alas- 

 ka, is resident on the Prybilof and Aleutian Islands. In the United 

 States it is found only in winter. The male of the Old-squaw is a 

 handsome duck, and may be recognized by its long tail and peculiar 

 reddish-brown and brownish-black and white markings. The female 

 lacks the lengthened tail-feathers, and is, on the whole, a very inferior 

 looking bird. 



The eggs of this species average 2.05 by 1.49; they are pale, dull 

 grayish pea-green, varying to dull light olive-buff. 



155. Histrionicus histrionicus (LINN.) [622.] 



Harlequin Duck. 



Hab. Northern North America. 



The beautiful and singulary marked Harlequin " is an inhabitant 

 of the southern part of the circumpolar zone." It is not common 

 wherever found. In many parts of the Old World it is only a rare 

 or an occasional visitor ; this is the case in Great Britain, France and 

 Germany. At the commencement of the breeding season it leaves the 

 sea-coast and retires to the lakes and rivers of the interior regions. A 

 summary of this bird's breeding range is given by C. Hart Merriam, as 

 follows: "In Siberia it is known to breed about Lake Baikal and in 

 the Bureja Mountains (Radde) ; in Mantchuria and at various points in 

 the great Stanowi Range (Von Middendorff ) ; about the Upper Amoor 

 (Von Schrenck), and in Kamtschatka. On the American Continent it 

 has been found breeding along the tributaries of the Yukon in Alaska 

 (Dall) ; in the interior of the Fur Countries and about Hudson's Bay 



