68 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS - ANSERES. 



not so common as tho King Ei(l(M'. On the L'oth of Juno its nests, containing fresh 

 eggs, were found placed in tlie moss on tiie flat barrens; they were cup-shaped, 

 and well lined with down. Tlie male remains in the neighborhood of the sitting 

 female ; and the latter leaves the nest unwillingly, uttering a cry resembling that 

 of the Common Teal, but harsher. The eggs were said to vary from 2.20 to 2.41 

 inches in length, and from l.o.*{ to l.Gl in breadth. 



Specimens of this Duck were taken by ^Ir. BischofP at Kadiak ; and Mr. Dall 

 found it abundant at Unalashka, where he speaks of it as one of the most common, 

 as well as one of the most beautiful, of the birds of that region. It is resident there 

 throughout the year, as well as at Sluimagins ; but in the latter place it is much less 

 frequently seen. Unalashka appears to be the headquarters of this species in the 

 Alaskan Kegion. It is more or less gregarious in the winter, and is to be found in 

 small flocks, which are sometimes joined by a single individual of Somatena specta- 

 bills ; but it was not observed associating with any other species. The pairing is 

 said to begin about the first of May, and this Duck is never seen with more than 

 one comi)anion during the breeding-season. It also at that period becomes very shj^, 

 and if its nest is visited by any one, this is immediately abandoned — a habit not 

 noticed in any other species of Duck. On the 18th of May, 1872, Mr. Dall found 

 a nest on the flat portion of Amaknak Island, Unalaslika ; it was built between two 

 tussocks of dry grass, and the depression was carefully lined with the same material. 

 Above the nest the standing grass was jjressed together so as entirely to conceal it ; 

 and it would have escaped notice had not the bird flown out from under his feet. 

 The nest contained a single e'^x, of a i)ale olivaceous cast. There was no down or 

 feathers ; but had the nest remained undisturbed, tlies(! would probably have been 

 added later in the season. This bird was also observed in the Shumagins in March, 

 and also during the summer nu)nths, although not in great numbers. 



A few of these Ducks were observed by ]Mr. H. W. Elliott on St. Paul's, on(^ of the 

 Prybilof Islands, in the spring of 1872. Two were shot at St. George's the same 

 year. It is only a straggler on these islands. 



Mr. A. G. Nordvi (•' Cabanis's Journal," 1871, p. 208) places on record the evidence 

 of the occurrence of this species, and its breeding, in Northern Europe, citing two 

 instances. In the first he received some eggs obtained in Russian Finmark, on the 

 Arctic coast; among these was one undoubtedly of this species. There was no 

 down with it, and of course the identification was not complete. This nest was 

 taken June 14, 1850. There were more eggs, but these were eaten. The other 

 instance was the obtaining, with tlieir down, of three undoubted eggs of this species 

 in the summer of 1870, near retschinka, in Northern Russia.* These facts confirm 

 the conjectures of Mr. Wheelwright and of Professor Newton, that this Duck passes 

 the summer, and jjrobably breeds, in Northeastern Norway and in Northern Russia 

 in Europe, as well as in Siberia. 



Mr. L. Kumlien mentions that a beautiful adult male of this species was shot in 

 Disko Fiord, in August, 1878 ; he also saw three or four Avhile in his winter harbor, 

 Cumberland. 



Mr. Dall, in his paper on the birds found west of Unalashka, states that this spe- 

 cies was reported to him by Mr. Thompson as wintering in large numbers at Sannakh 

 Island, in lat. 54° 28' N., long. 162° 52' W. As illustrative of tha irregularities 

 noticed in the migrations of birds at different seasons, he mentions that in May, 



' Mr. Rol)ert CoUctt lins more rvcontly lind the opport\itiity of Gxnmining tlio cgjp and down from 

 the same locality, mid considers that they belong undonbtedly to this species. (Cf. N. Mag. Natiirvid. 

 (1881), XXVI. 370.) 



