80 



BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



This is a common duck on the sounds and estuaries, usually seen in pairs or in 

 small flocks. The male is beautiful and quick-moving, always more or less in evi- 

 dence to the gunners spending a day in a blind out on the sounds. It does not 

 decoy readily and its small size and rapid movements make it a difficult target. It 

 is a marvelous diver and, to some extent, feeds upon small shell-fish. 



A female was taken at Raleigh, December 16, 1893, and it is recorded by Cairns 

 as a rare transient in Buncombe County. 



Genus Harelda (Steph.) 

 60. Harelda hyemalis (Linn.). OLD-SQUAW. 



Ad. cf in winter. -Sides of front of head washed with grayish brown; sides of hack of head 

 and sides of upper neck black, more or less margined with ochraceous; rest of head, neck all 

 around, upper back, scapulars, and lower belly white; back, breast, and upper belly black; tail 

 pointed, middle feathers very long and narrow; band across end of bill yellowish orange. Ad. 

 cf in summer. Sides of the front of head white; rest of head, neck, throat, breast and upper 

 belly black; back and scapulars black, the latter margined with dark buffy ochraceous; lower 

 belly white; tail and bill as in preceding. 9 in winter. -Upperparts black or fuscous; scapu- 

 lars and upper back more or less margined with grayish or grayish brown; sides of head and 

 neck and sometimes back of neck white or whitish; breast grayish; belly white; tail pointed, 

 but without long feathers of male; under wing-coverts dark. Ad. 9 in summer. Generally 

 similar to above, but sides of head and throat mostly blackish, and feathers of upperparts 

 more or less margined with ochraceous. L., d% 21.00. 9, 16.00; W.. 8.60; T., d% 8.00, 9, 

 2.50; B., 1.05. 



FIG. 50. OLD-SQUAW (adult male). 



Remarks. The male Old-squaw is too distinct to be confused with any other species, its 

 long tail-feathers being its most striking character; the female bears some resemblance to the 

 female of the Harlequin Duck, but has the belly pure white instead of grayish dusky. (Chap., 

 Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. -Northern Hemisphere, breeding in the far North, wintering from Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence to North Carolina. 



Range in North Carolina. Coastal region in winter, not common; occasional inland. 



As beautiful in looks as it is undesirable in taste. D wight W. Huntington 

 in Our Feathered Game says: "It is a swift flyer, expert diver, a fish-eater, and 

 a tough and undesirable bird for the table. Its evolutions in the air are said to be 



