66 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 



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 with 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. 

 Last 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, something 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. 



