Ub CKUISE OF STEAMEK COKWIN IN TIIK ARCTIC OCIIAN. 



CLANGULA GLAUCIUM AMERICANA iBp.) Ridgw. 



(1LM>.) American Golden evk. 



This i,s a very rare t!])ecios ou the shores of Beriiifj Sea. Tlie only inslaiicc whiMc 1 iiicl wilh 

 it alive was late in antmnn near Saint Michael's, where a i)arty of four was seen in a small ihukI, 

 three of which were secured. It occurs more commonly along the streams of the interior, hut it 

 is rare along the sea shore, and I have no record of its i)resence about Kotzehue Sound, although 

 it undoubtedly reaches that [)oint. It is unknown from the islands of Bering Sea and the n()rth- 

 eastern shore of Siberia. 



CLANGULA ALBEOLA (Linn.) Steph. 



(1:50.) IIUTTERIJALL DUCK. 



This beautiful little UucU is reported by Mr. Dall as not uncommon :it the Yukon niDUtli. 

 where it breeds; but no spe,('iniens of it were noted during my residence at Saint Michael's, nor 

 did I see it on my visit to the Yukon month in the sjjring of 1870. Mr. Dall's record is the only one 

 attributing this species to the .shore of Uering Sea, and no further records are at hand of its 

 occurrence in that region. It is also unknown from the shores of the Arctic coast of Alaska and 

 Kotzcbue Sound in addition to the islands and Siberian coast visited by the Corwin. 



HISTRIONICUS MINUTUS (Linn, i Dresser. 



(131.) Harlequin Duck. 



This richly-marked bird is found ou the shores and islands of Deriug Sea, e.vtending into the 

 Arctic, but north of the Straits it is much less numerous. On the Aleutian Islands it is an abundant 

 species, especially in winter and spring. During May, 1877, at Ounalaska they were extremely 

 numerous in large flocks, frequenting the inner harbors, but were too shy to allow close approach. 

 Mr. Dall informs us that they remain later than most other Ducks ; and also notes their occurrence 

 in summer ou tlic Sliumagin Islands. It breeds along the coast to the north ward from these 

 islands; and Elliott records it as being extremely numerous about the fur-seal islands, where 

 it occurred close along the beach in flocks of hundreds, keeping closely bunched together, and 

 comparatively heedless of approach. This author records his total inability to secure any of the 

 eggs of this bird, although they were permanently resident there in summer, and he ottered large 

 rewards to the natives. The females appeared to outnumber the males two to one, and he was 

 at a loss to account for not securing its nest. The i)robability is that these birds were barren 

 females, or young of the preceding year, which for some cause did not pass to their northern 

 breeding ground, but remained here, feeding upon the abundant animal life found in these waters. 

 It haunts the clear cold streams of the interior which flow down the niountaius and empty into 

 the Y^ukon and its tributaries. The bird seeks secluded pools in these waters, and the natives 

 when wishing to hunt them jjroceed up a considerable distance on the course of the stream in 

 their birch canoes, and then float silently down with the current, gun in hand, and secure the birds 

 before they become aware of being approached ; otherwise, if the birds' attention is attracted they 

 are said to dive with such rapidity that it is almost an impossibility to secure them; but by 

 remaining perfectly quiet in the canoe they are easily approached aiul killed. Around the shore of 

 Norton's Sound this duck is not common in spring, occurring very rarely as a migrant, and nesting 

 only along the streams flowing into this body of water. When the young are ready to take wing — 

 during August, or from the last of July until Sei)tember — they become more and more common 

 on the rocky portions of the shore, frequenting the same localities and often joining in flocks of 

 the Scoters. I have generally found them thus associated, or sunning themselves ui)ou the 

 projecting rocks and reef's at low tide during this season. They arc used by the natives of the 

 interior as toys, the bird being skinned, stufl'ed with moss and decorated with beads and bright 

 colored threads to serve as dolls for the children, their haiidsomel.\ variegated plumage attracting 

 the eyes of the savages. 



