LONG-TAILED Dl'CK. 93 



These birds breed on the borders of the rivers, and a sailor that I met on a coastiag vessel, 

 and who lived in Bay of Islands, Newfoundland, assured me that they bred in the vicinity 

 of that port, as he had captured the downy young when on excursions in the interior of 

 the island. 



HARELDA GLACIALIS. 



Long-tailed Duck. 



Harelda (/ladalis "Le.\ch" Steph., Shaw's, Zool., XII, 1824, 175. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, rather robust. Size, quite large. Tail, very long, with middle feathers attenuated and pointed. 



Color. Adult male in summer. Head, neck, breast, upper parts, middle upper tail coverts and tail feathers, and under 



wing coverts, very dark-brown, darkest^on back. Sides of head and body, bluish-ash. Patch behind eye, longitudinal 



streak on sides of occiput, under parts, and outer tail feathers, white. Feathers of upper back andscapularies, edged with 



chestnut. Iris, brown, bill, black, surrounded by a narrow ring of orange near tip, and feet, bluish. In winter. Head, 



neck, upper back, and breast, white with a patch of brown on sides of head below one of ashy. The top of head is creamy. 



Scapularies and tertiaries, ashy-blue. Otherwise as in summer. Adult female. Similar to the male, but lacks the long 



tail feathers, and the head and neck are dusky, with a whitish patch around eye and on side of neck behind. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Easily recognized by the long tail and peculiar markings as de.scribed. Distributed in summer from Labrador, north- 

 ward; wintering from Grand Meuan to New Jersey. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, IS'OO; stretch, 2B- 12; wing, 8'70; tail, 5'25; bill, 

 ri5; tarsus, 1'23. Longest specimen, 2 rid; greatest extent of wing, .■•tO'25; longest wing,9'4.5; tail,7-50; bill, r30; tar.sus, 

 1'42. Shortest specimen, lo'OO; smallest extent of wing, 2605; shortest wing, 7 95; tail, 3 05; bill, 1-05; tarsus, 1-12. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 ISesIs, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc., lined with down. Etjys, from six to ten 

 in number, elliptical in form, ar.d greenish-ash in color. Dimensions from r50x2'l(l to r55x2M5. 



IIAB1T.S. 

 The Long-tailed Ducks are fall and winter visitants to our coast. They are found off 

 rocky shores, gathering about ledges to feed at low tide, then retreating to open water at 

 full sea to rest. Very few of the Ducks have characteristic notes, but the present species 

 forms a most decided exception to the rule, as any one can testify wlio has heard a drake 

 Long-tail that has become separated from the flock, for like most Ducks, this species is gre- 

 garious, utter his cry. '^Ah-ah ah-cr-lit," he says, as distinctly as if spoken by a human 

 being, but with an accent and tone so peculiar, that it must be heard in order to be appre- 

 ciated. The notes are strong and loud, so loud, in fact, that other males feeding with the 

 flock near the rocky clifts, .some distance away, hear and respond with "e/--//7 ah-er-lit.'' 

 Then the straggler alighting with them, emits a few contented ah-ah^, while every Duck 

 welcimies him with alike note, after whicli they vociferate togi'ther for .■^onie time, just as 

 though they were gossiping, and this haliit has caused them to receive tlie appellation of 

 Old Squa-vs from gunners. The Long-tails depart in early spring, jirriving on llieir l)ieed- 

 ins: jrrounds in Labrador and northward as soon as the ice has left the rivers. 



GENUS XIV. SOMATERIA. THE SKA DUCKS. 



Gkn. Cu. Bill, about as lontj as head, rather hii/h, more ur less swollen at base, taperiny (jradualhj toward tip and not 

 flattened. Neck, short. Marginal indentations, open. 



The trac'iea is without special dilatation bu' the larynx of t':emale isexpandcland pmvidod witha iivny frame-work. 

 The stomach is very muscular. Sexes, n(jt similar. Tliire are three .species within our limits. 



SOMATEKIA LABRADORIA. 



La'oi-ador Duck. 



Anas Lahradoria Gm., Syst. Nat., I; 1788, .'").'>7. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Si'. Cu. Form robust. Size, medium. Bill, not much swollen at base. Color. .Adult male. Elongatpd p.itch on 



