THE BIRDS <)E WISCONSIN. 
25 
fly have been shot on Pewaukee Lake by B. F. Goss, which 
is the only authentic breeding record for Wisconsin. Even 
this should be considered as exceptional. Immature birds are 
frequently taken in the larger inland lakes in summer, but 
are evidently not breeding. Universally known among 
Wisconsin hunters as "butterball." 
Hareltla hyemalis (Linn.). OLD-SQUAW, 
Very abundant on Lake Michigan in winter. During the 
unusually severe winter of 1880-81 hundreds froze to death in 
the ice off Milwaukee, and boys peddled them, principally bones 
and feathers, about the streets at ten cents a dozen. Of late 
years becoming more and more common on the inland waters. 
Twenty-five years ago it was considered "quite a take" in the 
interior, and those found were usually young bircL in October 
and November. Now they are anything but rare on most of 
the larger lakes, and are sometimes taken in numbers, even 
in spring, but we have never seen them in Wisconsin in 
breeding plumage. On the lake a few arrive early in October, 
and their numbers increase until well along in the winter. By 
March they become restless, soon begin to gather in immense 
Mocks, are then very noisy, and are all gone by early in April, 
except possibly a few in immature plumage which remain 
until well along in the month. When one has seen and heard 
these ducks as they arrive at their northern breeding grounds 
in immense flocks, and congregate on the ice about the open 
water in Mav, he does not wonder that Sundevall should 
speak of them as "Anas canora, ob cantum vernalem suavem 
et sonorurn" for heard at some little distance, with several 
hundred voices in concert, it ceases to be a jabber, and is 
really melodious. 
Histriomicus histrionic us (Linn.). HARLEdUIN DUCK. 
Rare winter straggler to Lake Michigan. Dr. Hoy 
obtained at least four specimens at Racine, and there is an 
old record, specimen not extant, however, for Milwaukee. 
Also reported from Lake Koshkonong, but on insufficient 
evidence, as is also the case with one other record for the 
state. 
Somateria dresseri Sharpe. AMERICAN EIDER. 
Lake Michigan in winter, rare. Recorded at Racine in 
winter of 1875, by Hoy. Two specimens were also taken at 
Milwaukee and were preserved in the Public Museum. The 
