SEA-DUCKS. 227 



reach the bottom at all, its food consisting of animal- 

 culae and other minute creatures which swim at all depths. 

 Hence the Long-tails, and, in a less degree, the Scoters, are 

 able, like the Guillemots and Razor-bills, to live in sea of 

 any depth, and can often be seen busily diving several 

 miles out from land. On examining one of these ducks when 

 newly killed, it is impossible not to be struck with the dif- 

 ference in the form of their small bills when compared with 

 those of the rest of the sea- diving ducks. The latter are heavj^ 

 and swollen, broadening out towards the tip — regular shovels 

 in fact. The bill of the Long-tail, on the contrary, is small, 

 narrow and delicate, narrowing to the tip, but strongly pec- 

 tinated, or furnished with a comb-like process admirably 

 adapted for sifting animalculsB, &c., from the sea-water, but 

 not for catching crabs, &c., as the rest of the sea-ducks do. 

 At the same time, these ducks are quite capable of subsist- 

 ing by bottom-feeding, and are often to be seen diving in 

 quite shallow water near the shore, where they feed on small 

 shell-fish. At one point on this coast, where the depth 

 rarely exceeds a fathom or two, over a shingly bottom, a 

 company of Long-tails are nearly always to be found, as 

 well as a few of the somewhat similarly formed Golden- 

 eye. 



The Long-tailed Ducks are rather late in arriving — often 

 not till November, and disappear during the early days of 

 April — sometimes simultaneously with the advent of the 

 Terns, about April 8th. In their build these ducks are 

 heavy and thick-set, like the rest of the diving-ducks ; not 

 long and slim, as most illustrations of them appear to 

 convey. Though the females are always plain and sombrely 

 clad, an old drake, when newly killed, with his chaste and 

 harmonious plumage, is a strikingly handsome object. 



From the nature of their haunts it is impossible to get 

 at any of these sea-ducks in a gunning-punt — these craft 

 being only available in smooth or land-locked waters. Out- 

 side harbour, however, some most enjoyable days may be 

 spent, in a well-frequented locality, cruising about among 

 the fowl. If the day is fine, with a good, steady land-breeze 

 ofif-shore, a few fair shots may now and then be got at sea- 



Q 2 



