206 BAY AND SEA DUCKS 



as the swiftest flying as well as the noisiest (in the spring) of all the 

 sea-fowl which tarry with us, and gives their curious scolding or talking 

 notes as o-onc-o-onc-ough, egh-ough-egh. Their flight is generally near 

 the water, and when shot at while flying they sometimes dive from the 

 wing. He also mentions their habit of towering, "usually in the after- 

 noon, collecting in mild weather in large flocks if undisturbed, and 

 going up in circles so high as to be scarcely discernible, often coming 

 down with a rush and great velocity, a portion of the flock scattering 

 and coming down in a zigzag course similar to the Scoters when whistled 

 down." 



155. Histrionicus histrionicus (Linn.}. HARLEQUIN DUCK. Ad. d". 



Center of the crown black, margined by white and rufous; front of sides 

 of head, a spot on ear, a stripe back of it, and a collar around back and sides 

 of neck white ; rest of head and throat rich slaty blue ; a band in front of the 

 wing white, margined with black; inner scapulars white; back and breast 

 bluish slate; belly fuscous; sides rufous-chestnut. Ad. 9. Front of head 

 whitish; a white spot on ears; upperparts brownish fuscous; throat, breast 

 and sides lighter; belly grayish brown, margined with whitish. L., 17*00; 

 W., 7'80; Tar., 1'50; B., i'05. 



Range. N. N. Am., arid E. Asia. Breeds from the Kowak and Yukon 

 rivers, Alaska, Arctic coast, and Greenland s. to sw. B. C., cen. Mackenzie; 

 n. Ungava, and N. F., and s. in the mts., to cen. Calif., sw. Colo., ne. Asia, 

 and Iceland; occurs in summer in flocks near the Pribilof and Aleutian 

 Islands and on the coast of Wash. ; winters on the Pacific coast from the 

 Aleutian Islands to Monterey, Calif., in the interior to Colo., Mo., Lake 

 Michigan, and w. N. Y., and on the Atlantic coast from Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 regularly to Maine, rarely to N. J., and accidentally to Fla.; accidental in 

 Europe and not rare in Asia south to Japan. 



Long Island, rare W. V. 



Nest, near water, on the ground, "under rocks or driftwood," or in a 

 hollow stump. Eggs, 6-8, yellowish buff or greenish yellow, 2'30 x 1*62 

 (Davie). Date, Holsteinborg, Greenland, June 24. 



Unlike other members of this subfamily, this species passes the 

 breeding season on rapid dashing streams, but during the winter it 

 occurs as a Sea Duck off our more northern coasts. 



1896. NORTON, A. H., Auk, XIII, 229-234 (habits in Maine). 



156. Camptorhynchus labradorius (Gmel.). LABRADOR DUCK. Ad. 

 d". Center of crown black; rest of head, throat and upper neck white; a 

 black band around lower neck connected behind with the black back; 

 primaries fuscous, rest of wing white; front and sides of upper breast white, 

 lower breast and belly black. Ad. 9. Brownish gray, speculum white, 

 Im. cf. Like 9, but with throat and ends of greater wing-coverts white. 

 L., 20-00; W., 8-40; Tar., 1'50; B., 1'58. 



Range. Formerly, n. Atlantic coasts of N. A.; supposed to have bred in 

 Labrador; wintered from N. S. to N. J.; now extinct. 

 Nesting, unknown. 



William Dutcher (1891) quotes the late George N. Lawrence, as 

 follows: "I recollect that about forty or more years ago it was not 

 unusual to see them in Fulton Market, and without doubt killed on 

 Long Island; at one time I remember seeing six fine males, which hung 

 in the market until spoiled for want of a purchaser; they were not 



