42 V. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



Few dates have been recorded, perliaps because the arrival of the 

 oldsquaws is such a familiar event. 



The largest unlaid eggs were 10 mm. in length on May 31, 1951, and 

 34 mm. on June 5, 1951. 



The nest was situated on a dry slope near a small stream, and it was 

 composed of dark-colored down entangling some small dry leaves. If 

 the date of fresh eggs obtained on June 21 is representative, nesting 

 is late and growth must be rapid to reach the weight of 380 grams 

 observed on August 25. 



Oldsquaws and pintails are the most numerous ducks in the Valley. 

 They frequent open water, where in spring they are conspicuous and 

 bring attention to their presence by their pleasant notes. In Nuna- 

 miut they are called Ahalik, which represents their call. Eskimo chil- 

 dren try to toll any ducks with this call and frequently the ducks 

 seem to be attracted. The large lakes usually contain several families 

 of oldsquaw and even the small lakes may provide nesting sites, al- 

 though islands seem to be preferred. 



Coast and inland Eskimos like and admire these hardy arctic birds. 

 As they fly through the haze on the arctic coast or in the mountains, 

 ascending and descending as if to get ground bearings, it is most de- 

 lightful to hear their musical calls, which give the impression that 

 the oldsquaws are signaling to each other. The individuals of a 

 group diving in the lakes or ocean seem to watch each other and to 

 seek food in a group, like a fleet of fishing boats. On the coast when 

 a boat goes among them they continue their fishing, opening up the 

 flock to allow it to pass. They do not often take precipitous simul- 

 taneous flight as do the nervous scaup ducks or wary geese. 



For all their abundance and lack of anxiety, they are not easy birds 

 to shoot, and their loose system of organization never concentrates 

 them like eider ducks so as to allow numbers to be taken at one shot. 

 As food for man they are no delicacy, although superior to loons and 

 scoters, and while they are good for hungry people, it requires more 

 ammunition and hunting to obtain nutrition from oldsquaws than 

 from any other common arctic duck. 



I find them the most interesting birds of the duck family. I am 

 sure they associate in well organized societies and they are, as far as 

 I know, the only arctic ducks, which are not subject to flock alarms 

 and retain their presence of mind and flock organization when an 

 enemy has penetrated among them. 



Histrionicus histrionicus (Linnaeus) 



3 males June 2-4 weight (2), 639, 618 — 



g. 

 1 female June 2 weight 562 g. 



