AXATIXJE — THE DUCKS — HAEELDA. 59 



gray loral stripe, and a light brownish gray postocular spot ; brown on side of head forming a broad 

 stripe from the rictus back to occiput. Lower parts white, interrupted onlj bj a distinct jugular 



collar of sooty hair-brown. Bill and fc-et dusky (in dried skins). 



Adult male ; Total length, about 23 inches; extent, 30.00; wing, 8.50-9.00; tail, 8.00-8.50 ; 

 culmen, 1.10 ; tarsus, 1.35 ; middle toe, 1.90. Female, smaller, the total length considerably less, 

 owing chiefly to the abbreviation of the middle n 



This bird, variously known as the " Long-tailed Duck "of authors, the " Old Wife " 

 and the " Old Squaw " of hunters, the " South-south Southerly " of sonic localities — 

 the last name being derived from its peculiar jabbering note — is an Arctic species 

 of universal distribution in all the northern portion of the globe, it is Arctic in its 

 summer abode, and in the winter is found on the sea-coasts of America. Europe, and 

 Asia as far south as latitude 35° N". 



According to Dr. Bessels, this Duck was seen in the •• Polaris" Expedition, under 

 Captain Hall ; and Mr. Fielden, in his enumeration of the birds obtained by him in 

 1875-1876, mentions observing a flock in the pools of water between the flues on the 

 1st of September, 1875, near Floeberg Beach flat. 82° 27' N.). During the summer 

 of 1870 a few of these birds visited the northern slimes of Grinnell Land, where they 

 were found in pairs on lakes and ponds, and were evidently breeding. 



Dr. Walker met with this species on the coast of Greenland, near Godthaab; and 

 afterward — early in June — noticed it assembling in the pools of water near the 

 shore at Bellofs Strait. Professor Bernhardt also gives it as one of the resident 

 species of Greenland. .Mr. Murray met witli it at Hudson's Lav. and Captain Blak- 

 iston also received it from the same region. Mr. Bernard Loss found it abundant 

 along the whole course of the Mackenzie Liver. 



Professor Newton did not meet with it on Spitzbergen, though this species is 

 known to occur there as a regular visitant — not. however, in great numbers, it is 

 found there as far north as Dep.,t Holm, Latitude 80° X.. where Dr. Malmgren saw a 

 female bird. He also noticed a pair in Kobbe Lay, May 28, 1861 ; and, Aug. 1. 

 1864, he met with a group of five on a small pool of fresh water on one of the islands 

 in Horn Sound. Mr. Gillett found it common in Matthews' Strait, Nova Zembla, 

 but did not meet with it elsewhere. In the same region Von Heuglin found it quite 

 common everywhere. It was especially abundant in shallow places, under thi 

 on the sea, on fresh-water pools, and at the mouths of rivers. The stomachs of those 

 captured were found to contain chiefly univalve shells — a species of Natica. 



Mr. C. W. Shepard found this species breeding in great abundance in different 

 parts of Iceland. In one instance he met with quite a number nesting on a small 

 island in the Lake of My-vatn. This island was only about sixty yards in circumfer- 

 ence, was quite flat, and covered with a long brown grass, and on it he counted more 

 than twenty nests. The Long-tailed Ducks and the Scaup Ducks (/■'. mania) alone 



ami .Smith. A specimen labelled //. ted by R. MacFarlaue on the Antic coast, July 12, 



1864, is quite different, and probably belongs to another species. Its characters are as follows : — 



Downy young: (> T o. 44138, U. S. Nat. Mas., Arctic America, " B. W. C," July 12, 1864; li. Mac. 

 Faklaxk) : Aboi i or grayish umber, relieved by a longitudinal oblong spot of dull gray- 



ish white on each side the back (behind the wings), and a much smaller spot of the same on i 

 of the base of the tail ; wings brown, like the back, with a small, inconspicuous, spot of dull light grayish 

 on the bend, and one on the posterior border. Pileum and nape like the back, but darker ; remainder of 

 the head and neck, with entire lower parts, dull light grayish, the breast and abdomen nearly white ; lores 

 and cheeks strongly tinged with hair-brown ; a narrow stripe of darker brown before and behind tic- eye. 



According to Audubon, the "young when newly excluded are covered with stiffish down. Bill and 

 feet greenish dusky ; the upper parts chocolate-brown, a small spot of white under the eye ; throat and 

 lower parts whitish, as well as an oblong patch on the cheel 



