Old Squaw (Clangula hiemalis). 
This bird is in my opinion the most abun- 
dant duck in this locality, during migrations 
generally appearing in immense flocks after a 
blow. Last November these birds were caught 
in the herring nets on Lake Erie by the 
thousand. At Dunkirk, N. Y., between five 
and seven thousand were taken at one haul. 
At this port (Erie) the largest haul, to my 
knowledge, was eight hundred. A very fevv 
American Black Scoters were also taken, hut 
no other species. Lake Erie is, to be sure, 
a shallow lake, but the fishermen informed us 
that most of the ducks were caught when the 
nets were set 15 fathoms (90 feet) of water, a 
few being caught in 18 and 20 fathoms. One 
captain told me that he caught three ducks of 
this species in 27 fathoms, and I do not doubt 
his word. One of our daily papers printed j 
a long article on this subject, claiming that 
the fishermen set their nets on purpose to 
catch ducks, but I had ample proof that such 
was not the case, for the ducks were invari- 
ably so badly entangled in the nets, as to 
cause considerable trouble in getting them 
out; besides, after the first large haul the 
markets were glutted in all directions, and 
many were thrown away. 
Ibis bird is well known to be an expert 
diver, yet the fact that they can descend to 
such depths as I have noted seems quite re- 
markable to me. Their flesh is very poor, 
still it seems a pity that they should be 
slaughtered in this way, and while 1 do not 
think they are liable to be exterminated, last 
fall’s catch must have made quite a diminu- \ 
tion in their ranks. Samuel E. Bacon , Jr. 
Erie, Pa. 
Q.& O. Vol. 17, Mar- 1892 p; 46 
Auk, xii, Jyiiy, 1895 > 
The Old Squaw (Clangula hyeinalis) in Colorado. — While this Duck 
occurs regularly in greater or less numbers on Lake Michigan in winter, 
and is occasionally found on the larger rivers and lakes of the adjacent 
States, I can find no record of its occurrence west of the Mississippi 
River. I am indebted to my friend, Mr. John B. Sibley, of Denver, 
Colorado, for information regarding the capture of a pair, male and 
female, which he shot on McKay Lake, sixteen miles north of Denver, on 
November 13, 1892. 
Mr. Sibley, who is an ardent sportsman, and shoots large numbers of 
ducks every fall in this same location, writes that he has never seen but 
this one pair of Old Squaws, though he has heard of two single birds 
killed at different times in the State. The pair in question, Mr. Sibley 
had mounted, and they are now in possession of a friend in Denver. — 
Ruthven Deane, Chicago, III. 
The Old Squaw ( Clangula kyemalis) on the Coast of South Carolina. — 
The winter of 1894-95 was remarkable for its severity. The thermom- 
eter in December was 8° above zero, and in February 15 0 above zero. 
Several flocks of Old Squaws were daily seen near the ocean, and among 
them many adult males. They were very wild, and it was very difficult to 
get a shot at them, even at long range. On February 26, I was fortunate 
enough to shoot an adult female. This was the only one taken. I can 
find but one record of this duck being taken in the State, viz. : Smythe, 
Auk, Vol. V, 1888, p. 203. — Arthur T. Wayne, Mount Pleasant, S. C. 
