118 EXPEDITION TO POINT HARROW, ALASKA. 



623. HARELDA GLACIALIS (Linn.) Leach. 

 LOXC-T. \ii.r.D Dn-K; OLD SQUAW (A'htulltii, A'dyigia). 



Tliis \v;is one of our commonest ducks, though never appearing in ^rcat (lights like the eiders. 

 They :ire first seen about the middle or end of May, and remain as long as there is any open water 

 in the fall. The seal hunters in 1S8L' reported seeing these birds as laic as December '.. in open 

 holes in the iee-tield. 



Though the. first ones arrive from the 15th to the 20th of May, they are not plenty till the first 

 week in .lime, about which time there is a considerable flight, larger Hocks passing up to the north- 

 east in the afternoon or evening. 



The tlight-iloeks are never so large as the flocks of eiders, and always go very high, making a 

 great clamor. They are exceedingly noisy all through the spring migrations and the breeding- 

 season. The native name '-Ahadlin" is a capital imitation of their ordinary cry. 



After this flight they are to be found in tolerable abundance in all the ponds and pools on the. 

 tundra which are free from ice. They appear to have paired before their arrival, and only seldom 

 collect in small parties at some favorite feeding ground like the ' ; goose pond." 



During the breeding season each pair seems to adopt a pool for its own, and drive out all 

 intruders. At this season they feed almost exclusively on vegetable food, and are fat and in 

 excellent condition for food, with no fishy flavor. 



They breed in considerable numbers all over the tundra, but the nests are scattered and not 

 easy to find. The nest is always lined with down and generally near a pool. 



As the open holes begin gradually to form at the outlets of the lagoons, and along the bead), * 

 the Old Squaws resort to them in increasing numbers, frequently sitting on the ice. By the first 

 week in July they begin to abandon the tundra and collect in large flocks along the shore. 



After the ice has broken up and gone away they are to be looked for especially along the 

 shore, although a small party is generally to be found in each of the large lagoons. Through July 

 and August they vary in abundance, some days being very plenty, while for two or three days at 

 a time none at all are to be seen. At this season they fly up and down not far from the shore and 

 light in the sea. Towards the end of August they are apt to form large "beds" near the station, 

 and this habit continues in September whenever there is sufficient open water. 



.Many come from the east in September and cross the isthmus at Pergniak, and continue on 

 down the coast to the southwest. We noticed them going southwest past Point Franklin, August 

 31, 1833, in very large flocks. 



After October 1 they grow scarcer, but some are always to be seen as late as there is any open 

 water. 



They begin to lay about the middle of June, and downy young were found July 20. 



625. POLYSTICTA STELLERI (Pall.) Brandt. 

 STI-;LLER'.S Drc'K (lynikan'kto). 



Though not common in the sense that the King-ducks and Pacific Eiders arc common, this 

 beautiful little duck is far from a rare bird during the late spring and summer at Point Barrow 

 and in the vicinity. 



The breeding-ground, however, appears to be some distance off. Early in June they are to bo 

 found at the " leads" of open water at some distance from the shore, and perhaps the majority of 

 them pass on in this way to their breeding-grounds. From the middle to the end of June they 

 appear on land in small parties scattered over the tundra. 



At this time they are in full breeding plumage, and the males are generally in excess in the 

 flocks. They are generally to be found in small " pond-holes,'' frequently sitting on the bank 

 asleep, and are very tame, easily approached within gunshot, and generally swimming together 

 when alarmed, before taking wing, so that several can be secured at one discharge. I have stopped 

 a whole tlork of live with a single shot. 



They appear to go off to breed about the end of June, although it is possible that the birds 

 \ve have on the tundra are non-breeding biids. 



