BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 143 



Their gabbling somewhat resembles the cry of a pack of 

 hounds, and has given the name " homids " to the bird in 

 some localities. 



As spring approaches, whole flocks of Old-squaws may 

 be seen to leave the water and "tower" to the regions of the 

 upper air, swinging in wide circles, surmounting height after 

 height, until almost lost to view, when they turn and plunge 

 downward, hurtling through the air in arrowy flight, sometimes 

 straight downward, sometimes zigzagging wildly, until they 

 rest again on the surface of the sea. 



Latham states that the down which the female takes from 

 her breast to line her nest is equally valuable for commercial 

 purposes with that of the Eider. As the Old-squaw still breeds 

 in Ungava, it is not improbable that this Duck was one of the 

 species formerly breeding farther south on the Labrador coast, 

 where feather hunters, eggers and fishermen successively have 

 destroyed thousands and tens of thousands of wild-fowl and 

 sea birds. But most of the Old-Squaws breed in the far 

 north, where they are safe from molestation by civilized man 

 during the breeding season. 



The Old-squaw feeds on small Crustacea and mussels, fish 

 fry, insects, etc., fresh-water or marine, according to the 

 locality where it may happen to feed. Mackay says that 

 they eat a small shell-fish resembling a diminutive quahog. 

 They also eat sand fleas, razor shells (Siliqua costata), fresh- 

 water clams, small white perch, penny shells {Astarie castanea), 

 red whale bait, shrimps, mussels, small crabs and pond grass. 

 In the severe winter of 1888 he has known them to go to the 

 uplands of Nantucket in flocks and feed on the dried fine-top 

 grass {Anthoxanthum odoratum). 



