iSoi.] DuTCiiER 071 the Labrador Duck. 20^ 



Collection of the American Museum of Natural History^ New 



Tork City. 



This collection of Labrador Ducks is by far the finest in the 

 world, not only in point of numbers but in the (juality and condi- 

 ion of the specimens. A portion of them have been recently 

 remounted and formed into a group with characteristic surround- 

 ings, the whole forming an artistic and realistic object lesson. 

 Three of the specimens in this collection came to the Museum 

 with the collection of Mr. George N. Lawrence, which was ac- 

 quired in 1S87. Three of the others were once the property of 

 Mr. D. G. Elliot, who informs me that he had them all in the 

 flesh. The adult male he secured through John Akhurst, an old 

 and very well known and highly respected taxidermist of Brook- 

 lyn ; his adult female and young male he procured of the late John 

 G. Bell, a New York City taxidermist of world-wide reputation. 

 The Natiorial Museum collection was enriched some years since 

 (1872) by the addition of an adult male from the collection of the 

 American Museum, which was also a part of the Elliot collection. 

 Mr. Elliot states tliat one of these adult male birds was the last 

 one taken in the vicinity of New York, and, as far as known, the 

 last adult male ever taken. 



$ adult, No. 3739, from the Wied collection, Labrador. 



$ adult. No. 3738, from Mr. Elliot's collection, Long Island, N. Y., 

 about 1S62. 



$ juv. No. 3741, from Mr. Elliot's collection. Long Island, N. Y. 



5 adult, No. 3740, from Mr. Elliot's collection. Long Island, N. Y. 



$ adult, No. 45803, from George N. Lawrence's collection, Long Island, 

 N. Y., obtained about 1842. 



5 adult. No. 45801, from George N. Lawrence's collection. Long Island, 

 N. Y., obtained about 1S42. 



J juv.. No. 45802, from George N. Lawrence's collection, Long Island, 

 N. Y. , obtained about 1865. 



Mr. Lawrence informs me that he obtained his two adult biids 

 from y. G. Bell, and the immature bird he purchased in Fulton 

 Market, New York City. 



Collection of the Long Island Historical Society, Brooklyn, 



Nov Tork. 



$ adult. " The specimen of the Labrador Duck presented by 

 me to the Long Island Historical Society, was one of two speci- 

 mens, both male birds, that I killed in November, 1844, at the 



