Harlequin Duck 
137 
Japan. — Kuriles, Seebohm {Birds Jap. Empire, p. 254). 
Corea. — P. Z. S. 1887, p. 591. 
Commander Isles. — Occurs at all seasons, but does not breed (Buturlin). 
N. America. — On the east side of North America the Harlequin Duck is abundant in 
late autumn and winter along the coasts of S. Labrador, S. and W. Newfoundland, New 
Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Maine. Southwards it is rare in New Jersey and Massa- 
chusetts. In the interior it also occurs rarely in Western New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, 
Illinois, Missouri, whilst Colorado seems to be the southern limit in Central N. America. 
On the Pacific side it winters in large numbers all the way from the Aleutian Islands to 
Monterey in California, being particularly abundant on the British Columbian coast, as well 
as on many open rivers and waters of the interior. 
These birds probably do not winter to the east of Greenland, but stay through the 
winter on West Greenland. 
Habits. — The migratory habits of this beautiful duck seem to be somewhat weak, 
which would account for its scarcity on the coasts of Britain and Continental Europe. In 
all cases where it is possible they remain in the vicinity of their circumpolar home, and for 
the most part only move comparatively short distances to the seas and estuaries and swiftly 
flowing rivers that are not frozen in winter. This is certainly the case in Iceland, Greenland, 
Hudson Bay, and Alaska, and even those that winter far to the south are for the most part 
birds that have bred in more southern latitudes. 
In winter the Harlequin Duck is, generally speaking, an inhabitant of the sea, and even 
in the breeding season they seldom go very far from it except to pass up large or small swift- 
flowing rivers, down which they can lead their young in the autumn. In summer they love 
to frequent swift-flowing rivers, but not glacier streams, especially where there are rocks and 
waterfalls. The foot of a waterfall where the white water is churned up amid a mass of 
rocks, and in places that it would seem even a duck could hardly live, are the favourite 
resorts of this species, and here they dive, feed, or sit on the rocks or crouch behind them 
the whole day long if undisturbed, only flying swiftly up and down the streams in the 
morning and evening. In October they all head down stream to the sea, where they assemble 
sometimes in large flocks, and pass the winter in much the same fashion as the Golden-Eye. 
The beautiful markings of the male of this species are only noticeable when the observer 
is close at hand, so that they are not the easiest duck to identify except when in flight. 
The flight, at first somewhat laborious, is very rapid. The short, pointed wings are beaten 
swiftly, and the bird constantly swings from side to side, even more frequently than the 
Long-tailed Duck. The elevation is moderately high, performed at an altitude similar to 
the Golden-Eye, but when passing up or down stream it zig-zags and turns, to accommodate 
its line to every bend of the stream, however slight. The Harlequin never thinks of cutting 
off corners, and it would seem that it imagines its life depends on keeping exactly over the 
water, however much it bends or twists. I have seen Harlequins fly religiously above a 
bend in a stream that formed almost a complete circle in its course, and yet the birds 
did not cut across it to shorten their route. 
In swimming they move the head and neck with every stroke of their powerful legs, 
and sit somewhat low in the water. When first arriving at the breeding grounds in flocks 
in early May they are very restless, constantly flying to and fro, whilst the females utter 
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