72 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



The eggs of this duck vary from buff to a creamy-white or gray- 

 ish-olive ; ellipsoidal in form and range from six to fourteen in num- 

 ber ; sizes from 1.95 to 2.05 long by 1.35 to 1.50 broad. 



154. Clangula hyemalis (Linn.) [623] 



Old-gqna-nr. 



Hab. Northern hemisphere; in North America south to the Potomac and the Ohio. Breeds far 

 northward. 



The Long-tailed Duck, Old Wife or South-southerly, as it is vari- 

 ously called, is distributed throughout the northern portions of the 

 globe, making its summer home in Arctic regions. A resident in 

 Greenland and breeds in various places in Iceland. The nests are 

 made on the margins of lakes or ponds, among low bushes or tall grass ; 

 they are constructed of grasses and generally, but not always, warmly 

 lined with down and feathers. The eggs are from six to twelve in 

 number. The lyong-tailed Duck inhabits the more northern countries 

 of Europe — a winter visitant to Great Britain, and it is found occa- 

 sionally in Germany and France. Abundant on the sea-coast of Alas- 

 ka, is resident on the Prybilof and Aleutian Islands. In the United 

 States it is found only in winter. The male of the Old-squaw is a 

 handsome duck, and may be recognized by its long tail and peculiar 

 reddish-brown and brownish-black and white markings. The female 

 lacks the lengthened tail-feathers, and is, on the whole, a very inferior 

 looking bird. 



The eggs of this species average 2.05 by 1.49; they are pale, dull 

 grayish pea-green, varying to dull light olive-buff. 



155. Histrionicus Mstrionicus (Linn.) [622.] 



„ I ,., t XT L . Harlequin Sack. 



Hab. Northern North America. 



The beautiful and singulary marked Harlequin "is an inhabitant 

 of the southern part of the circumpolar zone." It is not common 

 wherever found. In many parts of the Old World it is only a rare 

 or an occasional visitor; this is the case in Great Britain, France and 

 Germany. At the commencement of the breeding season it leaves the 

 sea-coast and retires to the lakes and rivers of the interior regions. A 

 summary of this bird's breeding range is given by C. Hart Merriam, as 

 follows: "In Siberia it is known to breed about Lake Baikal and in 

 the Bureja Mountains (Radde) ; in Mantchuria and at various points in 

 the great Stanowi Range (Von Middendorff) ; about the Upper Amoor 

 (Von Schrenck), and in Kamtschatka. On the American Continent it 

 has been found breeding along the tributaries of the Yukon in Alaska 

 (Dall) ; in the interior of the Fur Countries and about Hudson's Bay 



