102 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
lake, Manitoba, May 25th, 1890. The eggs are more rounded than 
those of any other duck. The eggs of the buffle-head are larger than 
those of the teal and of a darker and warmer tint. On June 11th, 
1906, my son and I found two nests of this bird. Both were 
built in holes in poplar trees. The birds in both cases sat close, the 
female flying out of the hole on the tree trunk being struck with a 
stick. (Ravne.) 
Almost every lake in the Cariboo district has one or more pairs 
of these charming little ducks. Unlike the Barrow golden-eye, the 
nests were always in trees close to, or but a short distance away 
from water. These nests were invariably the nesting holes of 
flickers, and in most cases had been used several years in succession 
by the ducks. The holes were in aspen trees, from five to twenty 
feet from the ground, and the entrance was not more than three anda 
quarter inches in diameter. The number of eggs ranged from two 
to nine, eight being the average; in colour they resemble old ivory, 
without any tinge of green. I have several times seen the eggs of 
this duck described as “‘dusky green”, but these have evidently 
been the eggs of some species of teal. The female buffle-head is a 
very close sitter, never leaving the nest until the hole was sawed 
out, and in most cases I had to lift the bird and throw her up in 
the air, when she would make a bee-line for the nearest lake, where 
her mate would be slowly swimming up and down unconscious of 
the violation of his home. In many cases the eggs had fine cracks, 
evidently made by the compression of the bird’s body when enter- 
ing the small aperture. (Brooks.) 
LVII. HARELDA STEPHENS. 1824. 
154. Old-squaw. Long-tailed Duck. 
Harelda hyemalis (LINN.) C. L. BREHM. 1855. 
Common on the whole coast of Greenland, breeds also on the 
Parry islands, and on the land westward of Davis strait. (Arct. 
Man.) Very common along the whole Atlantic coast south of 
Greenland. Breeds in Ungava bay (Turner), and Low reports it 
to be common everywhere in Hudson bay and northward wherever 
there are small islands along the shore suitable for breeding. Spread- 
borough noticed a pair off Cape Jones, in June, 1896. Payne found 
