CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 131 



the pale of his church. They were the only ones of this species seen in the country. At Unalashka 

 Island they remain during the winter, but do not breed there in the summer. 



130. Merganser serrator (Linn.). Bed-breasted Merganser. 



The Red-breasted Merganser is common in the Saint Michael's district. In the Aleutian Island 

 district it is met with in pairs, and then only rarely. It is more abundant at Attn and Atkha than 

 any other of the larger islands visited by me. In the Saint Michael's district it arrives early in 

 June or late in May and remains throughout the summer to breed. The fully-fledged young were 

 observed there in September. 



At Atkha it breeds in the small ponds on the high levels of the mountains. I found a dead, 

 young bird of this species on the 4th of July, 1880. Among all these islands this bird is a con- 

 stant resident. 



The flesh of the Red-breasted Merganser is quite a delicacy among the Aleuts, who seem to 

 prize it higher than the flesh of any Duck. 



The Eskimo call this bird Pi' uk, because the nest is shaped like the Pi, or hole, of the bidarka, 

 or canoe, in which the person sits. The Russian name is Kro Mdl. 



132. Anas boschas Linn. Mallard. 



The Mallard is a common duck in the Yukon district. It arrives about the 1st of May and re- 

 mains throughout the summer. It is rarely abundant in any locality and seldom seen in large 

 flocks ; half a dozen individuals usually comprise a flock. It breeds wherever found in the sum- 

 mer season. It is plentiful on the Aleutian Islands in winter. 



The low land at the head of Captain's Harbor, on Unalashka Island, forms a winter feeding- 

 ground for hundreds of these ducks, where they congregate in large flocks in December and the 

 earlier months of the year to remain until the season is sufficiently advanced to favor their north- 

 ward migration. Only a few pairs were ever seen at Unalashka Island in the breeding season. 

 At Attu Island this duck is common in winter. It breeds sparingly at Agattu Island and on 

 the Semichi Islands. A few pairs were also observed at Amchitka Island in the latter part of 

 May, 1881. During the fall and winter the flesh of this duck is excellent, being fat and tender. 

 The Russian name of the duck is Se le sen. 



135. Anas strepera Linn. Gadicall. 

 A single specimen of the Gadwall was obtained at Unalashka Islaud in December, 1878. It is 

 not common among the Aleutian Islands, but is abundant along the Yukon Delta district in sum- 

 mer. In habits it is nearly identical with the Pintail, and often associated with them. It breeds 

 in the high latitudes, but not on the Aleutian Islands that I am aware of. 



137. Anas Americana Gmel. Baldpate. 



The Baldpate is not abundant iu the Saint Michael's district. It arrives about the 25th of 

 May, or even later. It is not at all gregarious, being found solitary or in pairs. It frequents the 

 marshes, preferably those which are overflowed by the higher tides when it first arrives. As soon as 

 the season is advanced and the greater part of the snow is gone, the. little rivulets are full of 

 muddy water they resort to these places for food. They seem to delight in, shovelling among the 

 mud in search for their food. I once saw two ducks (which, at the distance, I could not recognize) 

 feeding iu one of these small mud sloughs. I made quite a detour : one ran up to the top of the 

 bank and watched me, as it thought, go away, and quietly returned to its mate. I came back to the 

 place by another way and approached within a few yards of them unobserved. They plunged their 

 heads at times completely under the soft soil to obtain a tender root or slug. They seemed to be 

 in a playful mood, as they frequently caressed each other by putting their heads round each oth- 

 er's necks and crowding near each other. One finally came up to the top of the bank and was 

 then within a few feet of me ; with a sputtering squak it flew off until I dropped it. It was a 

 male. The female flew off. 



The flesh of the Baldpate is line eating. 



I have never observed this species among the eastern Aleutian Islands. To the westward I 



