HARLEQUIN DUCK. 197 



males considerably, and it is easier to get a half dozen 

 females or young birds than one male in perfect dress. It 

 flies very swiftly, and when shot will often dive headlong 

 into the water. In swimming the Harlequin sits lightly 

 on the water, and the little flock (perhaps all members of 

 one family), are usually preceded by the male, the others 

 following demurely after him. If alarmed, they dive at 

 once, and are very expert in all under-water tactics. 

 This species feeds chiefly on mollusks and other shell- 

 fish. Turner says that the common black mussel in 

 Alaska is much sought after by this Duck, and it is 

 constantly diving for it. Sometimes this bivalve seizes the 

 bird by the bill, and does not release its hold until its vic- 

 tim ceases to struggle and so indicates that life is extinct. 

 As a rule the Harlequin is a silent bird, but in the mat- 

 ing season it utters a peculiar whistle, generally made by 

 the male in his efiforts to secure a mate. On account of 

 its restricted range not many names have been applied to 

 it, but it is known as Painted Duck, Rock Duck, and Lord 

 and Lady, the latter on account of its beauty. In refer- 

 ence to the nesting and breeding habits of the Harlequin 

 Duck, I wrote to my friend the late Captain Charles Ben- 

 dire of the National Museum, Washington, who knew 

 more about nests and eggs than any other man in 

 America, and he replied as follows : " The Harlequin 

 Duck undoubtedly nests both in our mountain ranges in 

 the interior, Rockies, and Sierra Nevadas, as well as on 

 many of the treeless islands of the Alaskan Peninsula and 

 the Kurile Islands, and I have not the least doubt that it 

 breeds both in hollow trees where such are available, and 

 either on the ground or in holes made by Puffins where 

 it can find such, not far from water. From what I have 

 been able to learn from one of my correspondents I be- 

 lieve they breed early, even in Alaska. He writes me, 



