378 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



males, 5^ and 5f poundsj adult females, 4^ and 3§ pounds; immature (brown) males, 

 43, 5§, and 5f pounds. 



Order ANSERES. Lamelllrostral Swimmers. 



Family ANATIDAE. Ducks, Geese, and Swans. 



Eleven are here noted as occurring on the islands; others are undoubtedly to be 

 found during migrations and in winter. Three species traced, two commonly and 

 the other in small numbers. Of one of these, the Harlequin duck, it would seem that 

 the nest and eggs have not been seen on the islands, though the young apparently 

 have been taken.' 



2. Merganser araericanus (Cass.). American Merganser. 



Mergua amerieanus, Dall, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci., 1873, 30. 

 M[ergu8'] merganser, CouES, Key, 1890, 716. 



Merganser amerieanus, Salvadori, Cat. B. Br. Mus., XXVII, 1895, 477. — A. O. U. Cb. List, 

 1895, 47.— EiDGWAY, Man. 1896, 89. 



Of undoubted occurrence during migrations and in winter, but the only knowl- 

 edge 1 have is from Dr. Ball's reference as above, which simply notes its occurrence 

 in winter. 



3. Harelda hyemalis (Linn.). OldSqanTir, "Saafka.'' 



Hm-elda glacialis, CouBS, in Elliott's Rpt. Aff. Alaska, 1873 ; Reprint, 1875, 191 ; Key, 1890, 706. — 



Elliott, Mon. Seal Ids., 1882, 130.— Salvadoki, Cat. B. Br. Mus., XXVII, 1895, 389. 

 Clangnla Injemalis, A. O. U. Ch. List, 1895, 55. — Ridgway, Man. 1896, 106. 

 Harelda hyemalis, A. O. U. Com., Auk, 1897, 125. 



A common species. Breeds near the freshwater ponds. '.' The SaafJca is a very 

 lively bird, particularly in the spring, when, with the breaking up of the ice, it flies 

 into the open reaches of water and raises its peculiar, sonorous, and reiterated cry of 

 ah-naah-nadh-yah, which rings cheerfully upon the ear after the silence and desolate 

 dearth of an ice-bound winter" — {Elliott). They can be found on all the ponds, and 

 it is common to see a male resting quietly on the surface at no great distance from its 

 sitting mate. When disturbed and made to fly, the loud cries of the male sounded very 

 like ow-ow-6w^owerrr. Between the foxes and the natives, who, upon finding a nest, 

 generally suck the eggs, it is a wonder that the species is so common. Before or 

 about the time that the young are hatched and brought to the ponds by their mothers, 

 the males have forsaken their usual haunts on the ponds and have left for the open 

 sea. This occurs early in August. The nests are placed almost anywhere ou the flat 

 ground near the ponds, on a little rise, usually. On June 12 I found a nest and nine 

 fresh eggs about 40 feet from the village pond on St. Paul. ' It was placed on a little 

 hillock on the killing ground. When flushed, about 10 feet off, the bird flew directly 

 to its mate in the pond. Leaving the eggs, I returned soon, to find that she had been 

 back, had covered them completely with down and dry, short grass, and returned to 

 the pond. June 17, before 8 a. m., I found a nest, merely a few pieces of short grass 

 stems, and containing one egg. Each morning thereafter at the same time I found 

 another egg and more nest material, including from the second morning an addition 



' This is a very distinct order. It should probably rank higher, but to place it elsewhere would 

 do violence to the sequence following. The feather structure and growth (especially of the neossow- 

 tiles) are quite different and distinct from all our other orders. 



