The Old-Squaw 



very distantly attended (or perhaps only sympathized with) by a male 

 Bufflehead. Two of the ducklings became separated from their mother (?) 

 and were later picked up and photographed. These, as pointed out by 

 Major Brooks, prove to have been young of the American Merganser (Mer- 

 gus merganser americanus) , also a rare breeder in California. Apparently 

 these waifs were hatched from eggs imposed upon the Bufflehead, and so 

 when it came to a race for liberty they could not catch the pace and manner 

 of their foster brethren. Anyhow, it is fairly clear that Buffleheads have 

 been seen upon one of our larger lakes under suspicious circumstances. 1 



Taken near Santa Barbara Photo by the A ulhor 



A STUDY IN BLACK-AND-WHITE 



No. 364 



Old-squaw 



A. O. U. No. 154. Clangula hyemalis (Linnseus). 



Synonyms. — Long-tailed Duck. South-southerly. Old-wife. 



Description. — Adult male in winter: General plumage rich dark brown, 

 or brownish black, and white; breast, broadly, — continuous with band around upper 

 back — back, centrally, — to end of tail — wings (reddening on secondaries), and patches 

 on sides of neck, brown; sides of head in front, including eyes, warm ashy gray, but 

 eyelids white; superior scapulars elongated, reaching nearly to tip of wing, pale ashy 

 white; sides ashy-tinged; axillars and lining of wings smoky brown; remaining plumage, 

 including crown and throat and neck all around, white; tail graduated, the central 

 pair of feathers much elongated, blackish, the lateral feathers short, white. Bill black, 

 saddled with orange toward tip; feet bluish with dusky webs and claws; iris bright red. 

 Adult male in breeding season: Head, neck, fore-breast, and upperparts rich chocolate 

 brown or sooty black; fore-part of head silvery gray, whitening around and behind eye; 

 back varied by rich fulvous or bright reddish on longer scapulars, etc.; lower breast 



'See Condor, Vol. XXIIL, Sept.. 1921, p. 165; lb.. Nov.. p. 192; Vol. XXIV., Jan., 1922, p. 25 and Mar., p. 68. 

 l822 



