Mr. Proctor informed Mr. Hewitson “ that the Harlequin Duck is by no means common in Iceland, where
it chiefly frequents cascades and rapidly running streams, building its nest (which is composed o f dry leaves,
grass, and reeds, lined with down) amongst low bushes and water-growing plants, the eggs being from six
to eight in number. . . . Mr. G. C. Atkinson, of Newcastle, whilst visiting the celebrated Geysers during a
summer's ramble in Iceland, had the eggs brought to him, together with the bird, which iiad been shot in
rising from them. . . . I have to thank Mr. Henry B. Milner,” continues Mr. Hewitson, for the following
part i cul ars ' Of this species, which is scattered throughout the island, though nowhere abnndantly, I was
fortunate enough to discover one nest containing six eggs. It was situated on an island in the rapid river
Laxa, nearly in the centre, amongst the low arbutus; I also saw a female and two half-fledged young ones in
a stream near the Geysers. As far as I could observe, the Harlequin Duck only haunts the rapid rivers and
streams. I saw about twelve pairs while ip Iceland, and never in one instance observed them in any o f the
numerous lakes which abound throughout the island.’ . . . Holbcell says that this is a rare bird in North
Greenland, whilst it is very common between 62" and 65" N. lat. The nest is always on the bank o f a very
rapid brook, and is so well concealed under plants and willows that it is very rarely discovered. The young
ones are immediately led into the sea. They like a ruffled sea, and, when not breeding, are usually found at
the most outward islands, where they dive in the midst o f the breakers.” ; -
Audubon states that the flight o f the Harlequin Duck “ is rapid and generally straight. At sea it flies at a
small height; but when flymg over the land or even when approaching it, should there be any suspicion of
danger, it rises to a considerable height. Its food consists o f shrimps, small fishes, roe, aquatic insects, and
molluscs, which ,t procures by diving. The flesh is dark-eolonred and generally tastes o f fish; but that of
the female is good during the period of her sojourn on the freshwater ponds.”
The same author informs us that “ the male takes three years to acquire his full plumage, though many
individuals breed m the second y e a r jg but neither Audubon nor any other author, so far as I am aware,
informs us whether the fantastic colouring o f the male is constant, or if it be only assumed during the breeding-
season that is, a nuptial dress only. Judging from what is known with respect to the Mergansers and the
diving ducks allied to the Harlequin, probably the latter is the true state of the case, and in winter both sexes
are very similarly coloured.
The eggs are pale buff with a slight tinge o f olive, and are two inches and an eighth in length by one inch
and five eighths in breadth.
“ The colour of the male is so singularly diversified,” says Swainson in bis • Animals in . Menageries,’ “ as
to require much precision in a description which is to convey any accurate idea o f the bird. We should say
that the ground-colour of the whole plumage, both above and below, is bluish b la ck _ o f different tints, indeed
but ,n all parts dark; upon this ground are many bold bands, stripes, and spots o f white, giving the bird n
most elegant appearance. A large patch of this sort fills up the head between the eye and b ill; another
small and round one ts just on the ear; and a third, longer and narrower, is behind i t ; the crown is margined
on each side by a stripe o white, which changes to ferruginous after it passes the eye; at the bottom o f the
neck is a narrow^ white collar, which separates the deep black o f the head and throat from the cinereous or
Iavende,-black o f the breast; on each side o f the breast is a broad transverse stripe o f white, margined
above and below by a narrow one of velvet black; <he greater wing-coverts terminate in a white bar, and the
outer edges o the tertials are marked with black and white stripes ; the speculum, which covers all the
H H m ■ I B Mue 5 B 0 f the B and 4 a “ k8 B U B ; vent, rump, and
— 2H B | a*.tbe H °f B 0n ^ SidC iS 8 WhitC SP0t 5 1“ills “ d tail br°™*>> I I and a small flesh, flap of naked skin at the base o f the upper mandible bluish black, tip and legs brown.”
I he female is thus described by Dr. Richardson Above, dark liver-brown ; quills and tail blackish
sL T e r : U” P B B S tl,a‘ ha"S d0W" °Ver ‘he thigh Pa,e smaller oae on each side o f the forehead, and some mottling under tbe eyeU wmhbietreI; 8u pSPp°e*r HparIt oef athre bsre,a s»t
f l B B B l B H f l l ed» ed with brownish grey; rest o f the under plumage
fothat o f 2 m ^ aCr° SS eaCh fea‘her d° ' e-br0Wn- ThC * * is ” " r b r
in ^ d i lt a n c ? " 86" 18 ' " ale' * ^ ^ ^ ^ reduced, and a second male