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154. Old-Squaw. SOUTH-SOUTHERLY. COWEEN. LONG-TAILED DUCK. OLD-WIFE. 
COCKAWEE. FR.—Le CANARD A LONGUE QUEUE. Harelda hyemalis. L, 21. (Projection 
of middle tail feather beyond others, 4-50—5.) A medium-sized duck showing remarkable 
seasonal change of plumage. Male in spring has a seal-brown breast, neck, head, and 
back; an almost white facial mask; and ochraceous striping over wings and at base of 
hindneck. Winter plumage white, with black or dark brown breast, back, and line across 
shoulders; a spot of same colour over the hindcheeks and upperneck; white stripes over 
wings. In both seasons male has two greatly elongated middle tail feathers about 8 
inches from base to tip and projecting 4 or 5 inches beyond other tail feathers. Plumage 
of female is intermediate between the above two plumages, showing mostly white without 
any sharp line between the dark of the breast and the white underparts as in males. 
Distinctions. Males are characteristic; females may be confused only with those of 
next species, but are much lighter underneath and head is mostly white instead of mostly 
dark. 
Field Marks. Long tail of the male, and head mostly white with dark cheek mark in 
juvenile and female plumages. 
Nesting. On ground, near water hidden under bushes or grass. 
Distribution. Breeds across the continent in the far north. More common on the 
coast or Great Lakes than on smaller bodies of water. 
This is, with us, essentially a winter duck. . It haunts our harbours 
and often congregates about the mouths of sewers remaining as long as 
open water prevails, even throughout winter. It is a great diver and a 
fish-eater, but is nearly worthless asa table bird. It descends to great 
depths after food and is sometimes taken in the fishermen’s nets far from 
land and at surprising depths—in one known case 90 feet. 
155. Harlequin Duck. ROCK DUCK. LORD AND LADY. FR.—LE CANARD His- 
TRION. AHistrionicus histrionicus. L, 17. A small duck appropriately named after 
particoloured Harlequin. Male’s general coloration is from dull slate-blue to blue-black, 
but on this ground is arranged a striking series of crescents, stripes, circular spots, triangles, 
and a collar of pure white, each narrowly bordered with black that makes it stand out in 
striking contrast; a brilliant splash of rich chestnut adorns the flanks and borders the sides 
of the crown. Female very dull and subdued, all brownish with white spotting on abdomen 
aggregated into a not quite continuous and even middle area. An obscure white blotch 
in front of and below eye and another more sharply defined one over ear. 
Distinctions. Male cannot be confused with that of any other species. Female 
resembles female Buffle-head in size and colouring, but has a more or less speckled belly 
instead of an evenly light one, two facial spots instead of one, and no wing patch. 
Field Marks. Male is unmistakable. Female may be recognized by size and general 
darks of coloration, scarcely lighter below; absence cof a wing patch; and two light face 
patches. 
Nesting. On ground, under rocks or driftwood or in hollow stumps. 
Distribution. Only a migrant in the east, very rare in the interior though common 
in the mountains of the west where it breeds. 
This is one of the prettiest of our ducks, coming next to the Wood 
Duck in point of beauty. Its proper home is in the brawling streams of 
the west and northwest where it is well known to the prospector and miner. 
In eastern Canada it haunts rocky bays and shores where it feeds largely 
on the sea fleas and small shrimps that throng the inshore salt waters. 
GENERA—SOMATERIA AND OIDEMIA. EIDERS AND SCOTERS. 
Though not forming a recognized systematic division of ducks these 
two genera are peculiar and show enough common characters to receive 
special mention here. 
General Description. Large sturdily built birds, the largest of our ducks. Male 
Hiders have broad masses of sharply contrasting colours and delicate tints; Scoters nearly 
all black, some with small accents of pure white. Both genera have swollen bills with 
strange excrescences and brilliant colorations (Figure 9, p. 19). 
