CAROLINA DUCK 49 



Evermann (1888) mentioned it as very rare in Carroll County, but A. W. Butler (1898) speaks of it as 

 resident in some numbers in Indiana as a whole, and it still breeds near Konts (Woodruff, 1907). The 

 records for Michigan are monotonously like those for other States. Gibbs (1879) speaks of it as a very 

 common breeder. Cook (1893) refers to it as rapidly diminishing as a nesting bird. In recent years 

 Barrows (1912) can only say that a few are still found breeding in Michigan; and the same situation 

 obtains in Ohio. Stating that it used to be common and that the species is now rare, W. L. Dawson 

 (1903) and Gossard and Harry (1912) are not absolutely certain that any breed there now. 



H. B. Bailey (1912) asserts that even nowadays the Carolina Duck is not a rare breeder in Virginia, 

 where he met with them nesting in the mountainous areas. It is known to be still breeding also, 

 though rarely, in western Maryland (G. Eifrig, 1904) and regularly in Delaware (Rhoads and Pen- 

 nock, 1905). According to W. Stone (1909) it is now a rare summer bird in New Jersey ; Harlow (1918) 

 reports that it is still to be found breeding in Burlington, Cape May, and Cumberland Counties. It is 

 widely distributed and breeds in various localities in Pennsylvania (B. H. Warren, 1890), at present 

 particularly in Lancaster, Bedford, and Pike Counties (Harlow, 1918). In New York, where the 

 species used to be very abundant, it is said to be still fairly common in favored localities, such as the 

 Seneca River and the Ontario sections (Eaton, 1910). The same applies to New England, where the 

 species still breeds in many localities, though on the whole it is an uncommon bird. 



In eastern Canada the Carolina Duck is everywhere exceedingly rare. Only very few were breed- 

 ing in Nova Scotia even thirty years ago (Downs, 1888), and the same was true of New Brunswick 

 even longer ago (Chamberlain, 1882). According to the U.S. Biological Survey _, , 

 notes it still breeds in New Brunswick at Chatham, St. John, and Woodstock. On 

 Prince Edward Island it is a very rare breeder (MacSwain, 1908). As far as I know it has never yet 

 been met with on Cape Breton Island, Newfoundland, the Magdalens, or Anticosti, though a speci- 

 men has been recorded from the Gaspe Peninsula (C. W. Townsend, 1920a). Stearns (1890) was told 

 by the natives that the species is not rare and that it breeds in the interior of Labrador, but no good 

 record was established until C. W. Townsend (1913) reported a male taken at Long Point, near Min- 

 gan, southern Labrador, on July 1, 1912. This was most likely a straggler. 



In Quebec this species is not common (Dionne, 1906), but at Montreal, though only a few breed, a 

 number spend the summer (Wintle, 1896). The Macouns (1909) state that it nests in the Ottawa 

 region and that it is still a common migrant and breeder at Ottawa (C. W. G. Eifrig, 1910) and in 

 southern Ontario, where it is common on Georgian Bay, in the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, 

 and probably also in northwestern Ontario. Presumably the bird straggles over the entire area be- 

 tween the Great Lakes and James Bay, for specimens have been taken at Moose Factory and even 

 Trout Lake (A. Murray, 1859), but it must be very rare throughout this entire region and most 

 likely does not breed. In Manitoba the species is common in the east, and about Lake Winnipeg 

 (J. and J. M. Macoun, 1909) extending west to Carberry and Lake Winnipegosis, and north to Cum- 

 berland House (E. E. Thompson, 1891). Though it is rare on Lake Winnipeg (E. E. Thompson, 

 1891), Seton (1908) definitely shows that it at present occurs regularly, though rarely, west to Souris 

 River, Brandon, Shoal Lake, and Lake Winnipegosis. West of these localities the species has been 

 practically unknown and regarded as absent throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta to western British 

 Columbia; but Mr. Wm. Rowan writes me that about Edmonton he believes it was at one time 

 more common than is generally supposed. In this connection the remarks of Preble (1908) are of 

 great interest and significance. He regards the species as a rare summer resident (breeding?) north to 

 the Peace River valley and refers to a specimen taken at Fort Chipewyan, Lake Athabasca, as well 

 as to the testimony given him as to its occasional occurrence on the lower part of Peace River. Per- 

 sonally, I have no doubt of its presence in Saskatchewan and Alberta, though unquestionably it is 

 exceedingly rare between Manitoba and the Rockies. R. MacFarlane (1908) records a nest, two eggs, 

 and a female taken at Fort Providence, May 15, 1885, and another specimen taken at Moose Lake, 

 June, 1890. He also records a nest and an egg from Cumberland House taken June, 1890, and asserts 

 that he has never met with this species at Fort Chipewyan, Fort Good Hope, etc. 



