374 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



trouble they have in forming their nests, attach hol- 

 lowed pieces of wood to the trees for their conve- 

 nience ; and in recompense receive a quantity of their 

 eggs, which supply the place of those of the common 

 fowl, no longer found to endure the severity of these 

 hyperboreal climates. 



On the commencement of incubation, the males 

 leave the land and again assemble together in flocks 

 out at sea. In the moulting season, which soon after 

 takes place among these seceding birds, the natives at 

 Ochotska to the number of fifty or more, in the same 

 manner as the Indians of the Bay of Fundy, taking 

 advantage of the flood tide, drive the whole flock 

 before them up the river, in canoes, and as soon as 

 the water ebbs, they despatch them with clubs in such 

 numbers that each individual often comes in for twenty 

 or thirty to his share. 



The Velvet Duck is said to return late to its breed- 

 ing quarters in Sweden, the eggs being sometimes 

 found fresh as late as the beginning of July. In April 

 they are seen, in cloudy weather more particularly, 

 proceeding steadily on the wing in large flocks towards 

 their northern destination. At these times they fly 

 low in an irregular angular phalanx, making a straight 

 course just outside of the land, and are perfectly silent 

 and intent on their voyage. In the spring of 1831, I 

 saw them thus migrating by thousands, though not 

 more tfi&n twelve to twenty associate in any one flock. 

 They proceed in all probability to the very extremity 

 of the Union, in the course of the winter, are very 

 abundant in the Bay of Chesapeake, being usually 

 accompanied by the scoters, and are taken sometimes 

 in the same nets with them. With the other dark 



