ANATID^E THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 175 



with light brown, the scapulars chiefly of this color, with the central portion dusky. "Bill 

 and feet dusky green; iris yellow" (AUDUBON). Young: Somewhat similar to the winter 

 female, but much more uniform above, with scarcely any lighter borders to the scapulars, 

 the head and neck light brownish gray, darker on the pileum, and indistinctly whitish be- 

 fore and behind the eye. 



Downy young: Above, uniform dark hair-brown, relieved only on side of head by a 

 srrayish white space on lower eyelid, a similar but smaller spot immediately above the eye, 

 a light brownish gray loral stripe, and a light brownish gray postocular spot; brown on 

 side of head forming a broad stripe from the rictus back to occiput. Lower parts white, 

 interrupted by a distinct jugular collar of sooty hair-brown. Bill and feet dusky (in 

 dried skins). 



Adult male: Total length, about 23 inches; extent, 80.00; wing, 8.50-9.00; tail, 8.00-8.50; 

 culmen, 1.10; tarsus, 1.35; middle toe, 1.90. Female, smaller, the total length considerably 

 less, owing chiefly to the abbreviation of the middle rectrices. 



The Old Squaw or South-Southerly is a winter visitant to 

 Illinois, its breeding range being far to the northward. Mr. Nel- 

 son found it to be an abundant winter resident on Lake Michi- 

 gan, where the first stragglers arrived about the last of Octo- 

 ber, the main body arriving about a mouth later and depart- 

 ing about the first of April, a few lingering until about the last 

 of the month. Farther south it is of less regular occurrence as 

 well as less numerous, though doubtless occurring "off and on" 

 through the winter on the larger rivers. 



In its habits there is nothing particularly distinctive of this 

 species, except the character of its notes, which are described as 

 being loud and somewhat musical. Dr. Brewer says that its 

 voice is one of its great peculiarities, and is very distinct from 

 that of any other of the ducks, being really musical when heard 

 from a distance, especially if there are a large number of indi- 

 viduals joining in the refrain. The words soutjirsoutf^southerly, 

 which some have fancied to resemble its cry and which have 

 accordingly been used as one of its local names, did not, how- 

 ever, to his ear, in the least resemble the sounds which the bird 

 makes; but he adds that the names "Old Wives" and "Old 

 Squaws" as applied to the species are not inappropriate, since 

 when many are assembled their notes resemble a confused 

 gabble. 



GENUS SOMATERIA LEACH. 



Somateria LEACH, in Ross's Voy. Disc. 1819, App. p. xlviii. Type, Anas mollissima LINN. 

 GEN. CHAE. Bill about as long as the head, narrower than deep, the tip formed by the 

 very broad, large nail; feathers of the forehead advancing forward in a long narrow- 

 pointed strip, between two backward extensions of the maxilla, which, intervening between 



