176 



General Notes. [a^U 



seen was uot a Labrador Duck. Mr. Cole has recently visited Cambridge, 

 and through the courtesy of Mr. William Brewster was shown his speci- 

 mens of the Labrador as well as other specimens of Ducks, and after a 

 careful study of them, aided by Mr. Brewster, concludes that the bird he 

 saw on the Grand River was a female of the genus Glaucionetta, — 

 Golden-eye. — William Dutcher, New York City. 



The Labrador Duck. — An Overlooked Specimen and Record. — Mr. 

 Ernest D. Wintle, of Montreal, Canada, lately called my attention to a 

 heretofore overlooked record and specimen of the Labrador Duck. The 

 following is an exact copy of the record as published in 'The Cana- 

 dian Naturalist and Geologist,' Vol. VII, December, 1S62, No. 6, pp. 

 426-427, by Archibald Hall, M. D., L. R. C. S. E, in his series of papers 

 entitled 'On the Mammals and Birds of the District of Montreal.' 

 "A. Labradorica. Labrador Duck. 

 " Fuligula Labradorica. Anderson! 

 " Ca7nptolcemus Labradorus. Gmel. ! Gray! Baird ! 



"v. s. p. Cire flesh colour; remainder of bill blackish horn colour; 

 tarsi and irides yellow. 



"Dorsal aspect. With the exception of a streak of black stretching 

 from the base of the bill to the occiput, and a very light brown streaky 

 stain stretching from the cire to below the ear, all the rest of the head, 

 with the secondaries, pure white; remainder of the back black; tail, 

 which is rather acuminately rounded, blackish brown; the distal third 

 of the outer edge of the outer scapulars coloured with black, and the 

 whole of the inner vanes of the inner half dusky, terminating in blackish, 

 giving to the under surface of the wing a dusky appearance ; the prima- 

 ries are all dusky black; the feathers on the cheek have a bristly feel; in 

 other parts of the head and neck the feathers have a velvety feel, a good 

 deal resembling that of the Great Northern Diver. 



"Ventral aspect. A belt of white across the breast until it touches the 

 wing, and separated from the white of the head by a ring of black about 

 half an inch broad; remainder of breast black, quickly changing to black- 

 ish, which itself changes to brown on the abdomen and under wing cov- 

 erts ; the flanks, like the lower part of the breast, are shining black. 



"Length, from tip of bill to apex of tail, 2o£ inches; alar expanse, 27^ 

 inches ; the two first primaries longest and subequal. 



"A specimen of this beautiful duck, the first which I have seen, was 

 shot in the bay of Laprairie this spring (1S62) by a kabitant, and was 

 purchased by Mr. Thompson of this city, who has kindly placed it at 

 my disposal for examination. I believe it to be one of the rarest of our 

 visitants of this species, and to demonstrate that an acquaintance with 

 our Fauna must be a work of many years." 



This specimen is the forty-second so far known, of which thirty are 

 in North America. It gives me pleasure to announce that bv purchase 

 I have added this specimen to my collection. — William Dutcher, New 

 York City. 



