2l6 DuTCHER 0)1 the Labrador Duck. [April 



thougli I liave never met more than two or three at a time, and 

 mostly single birds. The whole number I ever shot would not 

 exceed a dozen, for they were never plentiful : I rarely met with 

 them. The males in full plumage were exceedingly rare ; I think 

 I never met with more than three or fom^ of these ; the rest were 

 young males and females. They were shy and hard to approach, 

 taking flight from the water at the least alarm, flying very rap- 

 idly. Their familiar haunts were the sandbars where the water was 

 shoal enough for them to pursue their favorite food, small shell- 

 fish. I have only once met with this duck south of Massachu- 

 setts Bay. In 1S58, one solitary male came to my battery in 

 Gieat South Bay, Long Island, near Qiiogue, and settled among 

 my stools. I had a fair chance to hit him, but in my excitement 

 to procure it, I missed it. This bird seems to have disappeared, 

 for an old comrade, who has hunted in the same bay over 60 

 years, tells me he has not met with one for a long time. I am 

 under the impression the males do not get their full plumage in 

 the second year. I would here remark, this duck has never been 

 esteemed for the table, from its strong, unsavory flesh." — Nico- 

 las Pike, Brooklyn^ New 22>r^', January 4, 1S91. 



"I began to' collect birds about fifty years ago and wanted to 

 get a pair of each species; I did not care for more. The Labra- 

 dor Duck I procured without much trouble, and if I had any du- 

 plicates sent to me I did not save them any more than I should 

 have saved duplicates of Scoters, or Old Squaws. I have no 

 doubt but that I may have had others. I had shooters all about 

 the coast of Grand Manan and Bay ofFundy sending me anything 

 new or odd. Anything they sent to me that I already had 

 mounted generally went into the manure heap. About twenty 

 years since Messrs. John G. Bell and D. G. Elliot of New York 

 wrote to me to try and get them some Labrador Ducks. I wrote 

 to all my collectors, but the ducks had all gone. It seems very 

 strange that such a bird should become extinct, as it was a good 

 flier." — George A. Boardman, Calais^ Maine^ October 16-29, 

 1S90. 



