SWIMMING BIRDS. Ducks 



well as on the coast. It is a cunning diver, and obtains its 

 food in this way ; it is said, that the Bufflehead, like the 

 Grebes and Loons, will dive at the flash of a gun, and re- 

 main under water with its bill alone visible. 



Samuels writes that, "When several of these birds are 

 together, one always remains on the surface, while the others 

 are below in search of food, and, if alarmed, it utters a short 

 quack, when the others rise to the surface, and on ascertain- 

 ing the cause of the alarm, all dive and swim off rapidly to 

 the distance of several hundred feet." 



Old Squaw: C languid hy emails. 



The Old Wife. 

 Plate 75. 



Length : Depending on the tail development, up to 23 inches. 



Male : In winter, head and neck white, with gray cheeks ; above 

 varied with black and white. Breast blackish ; belly white. 

 Four middle tail feathers blackish and very long. Wings gray- 

 ish ; no speculum. Bill black, tipped with orange ; feet dark. 



Female : Dusky brown, paler on throat, whitish below. White patch 

 around eye and on side of neck. 



Season : Common winter resident. 



Breeds : Far north. 



Range : Northern Hemisphere ; in North America south to the Poto- 

 mac and the Ohio. 



A clamouring, noisy Duck, but also having a sonorous 

 musical voice. It has the same habit of diving as the 

 Bufflehead, and is even less particular about its food than 

 the last two species. It locates usually on the reedy creek 

 bars and inlets from Long Island Sound. Dr. Coues says it 

 frequents large inland waters ; and Professor Koch, that it is 

 a visitor on the Susquehanna River in April. 



American Scoter : Oidemia amerlcana. 



Booby; Sea Coot. 

 Length : 17-20 inches. 



Male : Entire plumage blackish, the back and neck being more or 

 less glossy. Bill tumid or bulging at base, and parti-coloured. 

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