Tin: i.Mtit.ntoR Df< A-. 



extraordinary Ix-nuty and elegant U-ariii:: ..f tli.- s|-e<-ies. Its range In throughout North 

 America ^eiieralh. rhielly northeih and coastwise. It reaches on tin- \i lantic DOOM in winter 

 as fur a.s the Middle State*, nd 'ii tin- We.st.-rn a.s far as California. It breeds on tip- Rocky 

 Mountains. Il is limn- { a maritime -|-,-i,-s than otherv. 



At Hudson's \\i\\ it is called I'aint.-d Duck, and after the term Harlequin this is a mosi 

 \|.n-M\,. name, ll.ii li|iiin. IIMXM-MT. it is. --!iti;i]l\ . for its markings suggest it to all, we 

 slnmld presume. It is dilli.-nlt t<p sa\ ulii.-h is the more l-aiitiful, this orthewo.*! Murk. 

 I'erhap- the term U-autiful will appl\ appropriately t" tin- latter, while handsome <r extremely 

 singular will naturally apply to tin- I I.H l>-i|iiin I>u<-k. It h:i-. muli-r tin- names of Lord ami 

 Ldy, be.-u rarely -n <>IT tin- New England coo-st, a few beim; t.ik--n <-\<T\ winter. It is now 

 iiiiirli le-s, common, and is thought !< be quite near xtiuctiuii. It is small, thmiKli lur^r 

 than thf liutt.-r hall. It- Im^'th is st-x.-m.-,-!! inrli.-s. and cxt''!!! <>f winn twfiity--iu r ht inrlit-s. 

 Tin' f.-inal'- i> a litllf l->s, and is vi-ry m-arly lik- tin- inali-, tin- ln-ad and luvk In-in^ alin-.-t 

 Id.-ntiral in <.!. .r.iti.iii. It lrwl in AndiilMin's tiim-, at (Jntnd Manan, in Novu Scotia, and 



TIIK OLD SQUAW dlm.hln ,///f,-/W/.vi. This bird inhabits tin- northern hemisphere | 

 ally. It is chiefly maritime, though it resorts to the (Jreat Likes. The t-rm lng taiN-d 

 Duck is given it in some quarters, on account of the very exceptional ornament fora Duck, 

 the long central tail-feather*. It is also called South Southerly, and Old Wife. We h::v- 

 seen tliis DII, k in l.n_'- looks, :i:m_ 0M M j'i-1 ,.lF the -|,,, r ,.. ,,f |.\ mi and Naliant. in 

 Massachusetts, when- they xji,-nt the colder season. They wen- always near enough to hear 

 their Old Wife cackling, and proved alwa\s a i-heerful accom|ianiment to the rolling winter 

 s.-as that 1-eat ujMin the old, nmttinM towtt of l.> mi Other sjieries were occasionall) notii-ed. 

 as the velvet Duck and scoter, but the Old Wives wen- the regular occupants of the bay. Its 

 flesh is not desirable as an edible. An lulion Kays: "The range of this noisy, lively, and 

 U-autiful Duck extends along our coa.st to Texas, and is also found at the mouth of the 

 Columbia River, but is never found on any fresh watercourses. They are what our gunners 

 call sea-ducks. Although, like all sea-ducks, the Old Wife swims deeply, it moves with a 

 grace and celerity which, if not su|-rior to any of its tril>e. an- at least equal." Like others 

 of its tribe, it likes to swim against the wind or tide, as it is then easy for it to rise on wing. 

 It breeds from Labrador, north wan Is to the Arctic regions. The female has no long tail 

 feathers, nor the white wing-feathers, and is quite plain in color. The male's summer plumage 

 is like that of winter in form, but in color the whole upjer jarts are reddish-brown, the head 

 being capped with black, and broad, white cheek-spots encin-le the eyes. The breast and under 

 I >arts are alike in both seasons. 



The length of the male is twenty-two inches, that of the female alxmt the same ; extent of 

 wing is thirty inches. It is thought to be the swiftest of its trile. and is certainly the most 

 difficult bird to approach and shoot. While sitting on the water it is rarely shot, as it dives 

 at the flash of a gun. 



LABRADOR DUCK (Camplofamiu labradoritu), or Pied Dock, so called in some quarters. 

 This binl is now practically extinct. None have been found during the last fifteen years, at least. 



Wilson spoke of it as "rather a rare Duck on our coasts, and it is never met with on our 

 fresh-water lakes and rivers." It is called by some Sand shoal Duck. On Long Island it is 

 known as Skunk Duck, on account of its pied markings. Its flesh is dry and fishy. Wil-.n 

 says : " It is only seen hen- during winter, when a few are observed in our market. Of their 

 particular manners, place, or mode of breeding, nothing more is known." It seems, then, that 

 the bird has for a long time been scarce, though my friend, Mr. Lawrence, the eminent orni- 

 thologist of New York, tells me he has frequently seen them in the markets of the city. This 

 was twenty yean since. 



Four tine examples of this binl, two males in full plumage, a young male, and a female, 

 an- in the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, New York. They are now regarded as 



valuable as the great auk. 

 Vot. it-n. 



