212 

 NOTES ON THE BIRDS OP lONA. 



BY HENRY D. GRAHAM, ESQ. 



(Continued from page 82. J 



Thb Long-tailed Ice Dock, [Harelda (jlacialis.) 



This bird comes to lona in the early part of November, when there 

 appears a small flock of a dozen or so, which takes up its station off the 

 northern coast of the island. These are gradually reinforced during the 

 frosts and severe weather of December and January, by fresh arrivals which 

 are driven in from the sea, and from their more unsheltered haunts, till at 

 last a very great number are assembled in the bay. Towards the end of 

 March this largo flock begins to break up into pairs and small parties; many 

 go away; and when the weather keeps fine they make long excursions, and 

 for days the bay is quite deserted — not a Long-tail is to be seen. A change 

 of weather, however, will still bring them back, and a smart gale would 

 assemble a considerable flock of them, and this as late as the second week 

 in April; but after this time you see them no more: thus we have them 

 Avith us for about four months. They arrive with the first frown of winter, 

 and depart with the earliest blink of summer sun. The Northern Hareld 

 brings ice and snow and storms upon its wings; but as soon as winter, with 

 his tempestuous rage, rolls unwillingly back before the smile of advancing 

 spring, to his Polar dominions, the bird follows in his train; for no creature 

 revels more amidst the gloom and rage and horrors of winter than the 

 Ice Duck. 



The change which takes place in the appearance of these birds, during 

 the latter part of their stay, is very striking. In winter you see the flocks 

 of Long-tails far off, twinkling like bright white stars upon the blue waves; 

 but late in spring they become so dark that at a short distance they look 

 very black. Ijast year they remained so late as the 18th. of April; and I 

 had an excellent opportunity of watching a party of them on that day. I 

 was looking down upon them from a small eminence, with a glass; and 

 sometimes they came almost within reach of shot, so that I was able to 

 examine them nearly as well as if they were actually in my hand. They 

 seemed to be in full summer plumage. The males a fine deep black, some- 

 thing reddish about the wings when the sun caught them ; curious little white 

 caps upon their heads, and a patch of white visible behind the thigh. The 

 females were dark brown. I got one of these, though I did not succeed in 

 getting a male. The first time that I saw my old friends in their new 

 costume I did not recognise them, and I was puzzled to know who they 

 were; but at this meeting I was set at ease at once, as they were the first 

 to speak, and then I recognised their voice. 



The cry of the Long- tailed Duck is very remarkable, and has obtained for 

 it the Gaelic name of Lach BMnn, or the Musical Duck, the most appropriate 

 name for them ; for when their voices arc heard in concert — i-ising and falling 



