NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 173 



Family ANATID.4^. Genus Fuligula. 



Sub-family FULIGULINM. 



LONG-TAILED DUCK. 



Fuligula glacl\lis (Lifmceus). 



(British : Fairly common autumn and winter migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, from end of May to the 

 first half of July, according to locality. 



Breeding AREA : Northern Nearctic and Paloearctic 

 regions. The Long-tailed Duck breeds on the tundras 

 and barren grounds above the limits of forest growth in 

 Europe, Asia, and North America, as far north as land 

 exists, and in a similar climate at high elevations in 

 Scandinavia, Iceland, and perhaps the Faroes. 



Breeding habits: The Long-tailed Duck is a 

 migrant, and returns to its breeding grounds in the 

 Arctic regions as soon as open water can be found, when 

 the ice on the great rivers breaks up, and the snow melts 

 from the tundras. The favourite summer haunts of this 

 Duck are the Arctic tundras and barren grounds of both 

 hemispheres, which extend from the limits of forest 

 growth to the Polar seas. Here it frequents the pools 

 and lakes, especially such as are studded with islands. 

 During winter the bird is gregarious, and even in the 

 breeding season a certain amount of sociability is observ- 

 able. Scattered pairs frequent the smaller pools, but the 

 larger sheets of water are the resort of perhaps a dozen 

 or twenty pairs. This Duck probably mates for life, 

 but precise information is wanting. The nest is gener- 

 ally placed upon the ground in some sheltered nook, 

 often amongst willow and birch scrub, or on the drifted 

 rubbish left by the floods when the big northern riv^ers 

 break up in spring, or amongst long grass. An island is 



