82 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



seemed to !» present in ;ilM)ut equal numbers, and were gen(>rally found together. 



In June, liowever, he noti(!fd numerous small Hoeks composed entirely of nuiles ; 



and still later in the season — in the latter part of July, and in August — the flocks 



were appai-eutly uU females, though perhaps partly eomi)osed of males in their a»i- 



tumual phnnage. Throughout 

 the month cf July, liowever, 

 solitary nuiles could often ho 

 started on the small outlying 

 rocky islands, apparently in 

 full spring colors, though gen- 

 erally umible to fly. They es- 

 Ciii»ed hy rapid swimming and 

 diving, and they could only be 

 sliot or followed in a ki/iik when 

 circumstances were very favor- 

 al)le. Mr. Hannister's observa- 

 ti(ms of this species led him to 

 believe that these birds dislike 

 swimming in rough watei*. On 

 windy days lu; has generally 

 seen them in small flocks squat- 

 ting along the upper edge of the 

 beach or swimming in the mcue 

 sheltered (ioves and inlets. The 

 noise nmde by these Ducks in 

 spring is said to be very \wv\\- 

 IS is generally the case — it can only be 



Female. 



liar; and when many are heard together 

 de.scrilM'd as a continuous grunting. 



Mr. MacKarlane found this species breeding in great nundiers on the Arctic coast, 

 near the mouth <if Anch-rscm Uivcr. The nests were seen in various situations — 

 .some on a rising band near the sea-shore, others on sloping ground three hundred feet 

 or more frouj the water. Some were on the coast, and others on islands in the bays. 

 All the nests were on the ground, and, for the most part, mere depressions in the 

 soil, but plentifully lined with down. Those fcmnd after the niiddh- of June cdii- 

 tained more or less developed cndiryos. l?y the last of June the males apjx'ared to 

 have left their mates, as .Mr. .MacKarlane noticed that the two sexes kept apart, 

 altlntugh they were occasionally seen in i)airs. In some cases Mr. Ma(d''arlan«' louud 

 what he believed to Ih' eggs of the spi'ifuhUh in the sanui nest with tho.se of tho 

 V-inijt'Hni, for which fact he coidd (mly a(!eo»int on tlu' supposition that the former 

 had disjws.sessed the latter, who were the original and rightfid owners. He also 

 noticed that the nund>er of females seemed to be always in excess of that of the 

 males; and it may bt^ that this Kider is also to S(mu' extent polygamous — as is also 

 the itiitlfiininui, two females .sonu'tinu^s using the same nest. 



The largest innnlHM' of eggs recorded by Mr. MacKarlane as liaving been found in 

 any one nest is a|)parently six — and this in only one instance; the general nundter 

 was five. Mr. Dall, in his second jiaper, states that this Duck is apjiarently a resident 

 in the Aleutian Islands. Wintering abundantly at Unalashka, it .seeks its breeding- 

 grounds in t'.ie islainls to the westward; and it is (lertain that the large flocks which 

 winter in Captain's Hay do not breed in the immediate viianity, while this is the most 

 common Duck among the western islands throughout the summer. 



ii 



