OF THE BEITI8H ISLANDS. 413 



evidence of the occurrence of this species further west is extremely meagre and 

 unsatisfactory. Sabanaeff states that it breeds in the Ural and Yaroslav ; Evers- 

 mann records it also from the Ural, and Nordmann from Finland. It is said 

 by Hencke to be rare in summer near Archangel, and a single example has been 

 obtained off the coast of Sweden. The birds breeding in Eastern Siberia draw 

 south in winter to the Kurile Islands and Northern Japan ; those breeding in 

 America visit the Great Lakes and the Middle States during that season. 



Allied forms. — None of sufficient propinquity to call for notice. 



Habits. — The migrations of the Harlequin Duck are not very regular or 

 extended, and the bird appears to winter as far north as it can find open water. 

 During summer it is for the most part an inland species attached to fresh water, 

 but at the approach of winter it wanders seawards, and is then principally 

 observed in the' sheltered bays and inlets of rocky coasts. In summer this Duck 

 lives in scattered pairs, but in winter it congregates on the sea in considerable 

 flocks. It swims well and is a most accomplished diver, some of its aquatic 

 gambols being remarkably beautiful, as it swims amongst the surf like the Eider 

 or darts through the waterfalls in sportive play or in quest of food. As is usual 

 with these diving Ducks the present species always tries to evade pursuit by 

 darting under the surface, and, when alarmed, sometimes sinks its body so low 

 that little more than the head is exposed to view. Notwithstanding it flies well 

 and rapidly, with wings beating the air so quickly as to make a characteristic 

 whisthng sound. The note of this Duck appears to be undescribed, except on 

 hearsay evidence ; but most reliable authorities agree that the bird is remarkably 

 silent at all times. It is said to be a rather tame and confiding species, numbers 

 being easily killed. The food of the Harlequin Duck consists of insects, both 

 marine and fresh water, crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. This Duck does 

 not appear to be much of a vegetable feeder, although some naturalists assert 

 that it eats various aquatic plants and weeds. Its flesh by some authorities is 

 said to be excellent, by others the reverse, doubtless owing to the nature of the 

 food on which it has been living just previous to being killed. 



Nidification. — The breeding season of the Harlequin Duck commences 

 towards the end of May or early in June, at the beginning really of the short 

 Arctic summer. Its breeding haunts are on the banks of rivers, and the nest is 

 placed on the ground close to the water. Messrs. Pearson have recorded some 

 very interesting particulars relating to the nesting habits of this Duck in Iceland. 

 They write: — "Generally speaking the nest is placed within six feet of the 

 water, a rapid stream being preferred. On the 11th of July one of us visited 

 some islands on a river, the remains of an ancient flow of lava. The lava had 

 formed a dam across the river, which had afterwards broken through, forming 

 four channels, and down these the waters ran like a mill-race, so that it was 



