362 CLANGULA HYEMALIS 



cracks along the shore, reaching Point Barrow about the middle of May, in Iceland 

 at least two weeks earlier. 



They nest invariably on fresh water, usually near the coast, preferring the mouths 

 of rivers or chains of lakes connected with coastal waters to which they can easily 

 lead the newly fledged young. Islands in lakes seem always to be favorite places. 

 In Norway, and in Iceland as well, they often seek out ponds at high elevations, 

 where they arrive before the snow has disappeared. 



There is nothing characteristic about the actual nest or its site. It is usually near 

 the water, though sometimes far away from it (Trevor-Bat tye, 1895) and is placed 

 under thick bushes of willow, birch or juniper when such cover is found. Sometimes 

 each little pool has its own pair which drives out intruders (Murdoch, 1885; See- 

 bohm, 1885) and at other times they nest practically in colonies with Scaup. Shep- 

 ard (in Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, 1884) mentions an island in Myvatn Lake, Ice- 

 land, sixty yards in circumference, on which there were twenty nests. 



Nearly everywhere this duck is ranked as one of the latest nesters. In some places 

 eggs are not found much before the end of June or even well into July. May 18 

 (Faber, 1822) is the earliest date that I have run across for Iceland, and of course the 

 conditions there are unlike those over most of the range. May clutches have also 

 been recorded from Alaska (Nelson, 1887; Einarsen, Murrelet, September, 1922). 

 In most of the far-northern nesting areas late June and the first half of July consti- 

 tute the regular laying period, and newly hatched broods are found well into August. 



The clutch is smaller than that of most sea ducks, and numbers from five to eight, 

 averaging not over seven, although clutches up to seventeen have been recorded 

 (L. M. Turner, MS.). 



The eggs are pale grayish green to nearly buff -color and average 54.1 by 38.1 mm. 

 The largest is 58.1 mm. in length and the smallest 51.4. The greatest and least 

 breadths are 39.6 and 36 (Hantzsch, 1914). A slightly smaller average, based on 

 thirty-nine eggs, is given by J. Grinnell, Bryant and Storer (1918). 



The down is excellent for use in clothing and considered by some as little inferior 

 to that of the Eiders; but the scattered nesting habits would make it difficult to 

 gather large enough quantities. It is said to be less dark than that of the Scaup 

 or the Scoters. 



The incubation period has not been accurately determined, but is reckoned by 

 Hantzsch (1905) at about three and one-half weeks. Mr. Wormald hatched a set- 

 ting of Iceland eggs for the first time in 1923, and these came out in twenty -four 

 days. Again in 1924 he had some from the same source and these took twenty-six 

 days. It is evident then that the period is not especially long, for of course none of 

 these eggs was in first-class condition. Certainly they were three or four weeks old 

 before they reached England. 



Most of the young are reared on the fresh water and they are seldom led away 



