LONG-TAILED DUCK: OLD SQUAW. 19 1 



perhaps dive a little and bring up some choice eatable 

 from or near the bottom. At -such times their musi- 

 cal notes are constantly borne to the observer's ear, of 

 South, south, southerly, or as Nelson writes it A-kedle-a 

 (which, however, does not convey the sounds to my ear), 

 and the pleasing chorus, rising from one portion or an- 

 other of the assembled birds, disturbs with tuneful 

 sounds the stillness that rests upon the sleeping water. 

 The food of the Old Squaw is various small shell-fish, 

 fry, and insects, fresh-water or marine, according to the 

 locality in which the bird happens to be. As an article 

 of food little can be said in favor of this Duck, for either 

 the flesh is tasteless and tough, or else fishy and disa- 

 greeable. It is a very difficult bird to kill, for it flies with 

 such swiftness that it is no easy mark to hit, and requires 

 a very powerful blow to bring it down. If only wounded 

 it is almost impossible to capture, as it dives with such 

 dexterity and so persistently, and stays under water so 

 long, that it will tire completely either man or dog. 



In various parts of the land, besides those already 

 given, and by which it is best known, it has many names, 

 some of which are, South Southerly from its cry, Old 

 Wife, Old Injun, Old Molly, Old Granny, Cockawee or 

 Caccawee, Coween, Swallow-tailed Duck, Long- 

 tailed Duck, Scolder, and Noisy Duck. There are 

 others which, however, are mostly purely local, and fa- 

 miliar only to ,a few. The male is a handsome bird, 

 whether in winter or summer dress, the long tail feathers 

 being very ornamental, and especially conspicuous when 

 the bird is rushing, with far more than the swiftest rail- 

 road speed, through the air. It is probably one of the 

 species of Ducks that will remain with us the longest, as 

 the poor quality of its flesh prevents it from being sought 

 after as an article of food, and sportsmen pay little or no 



