LONG-TAILED DUCK. 393 



is certain, that a troop of Long-tailed Ducks, when in high glee, 

 is responsible for a great outcry, which has given rise to an idea 

 now prevalent on the east coast among the fishermen, that it is a 

 derisive shout addressed to themselves as they are returning 

 homewards in a half-frozen state at the close of a poor day's work. 

 The last time I had an opportunity of hearing their bagpipe-like 

 music was at my old post on D unbar Battery, in the winter of 

 1869. After watching a lively group of fifteen males and five 

 females diving and diverting themselves, I drew the attention of 

 a fisher lad with a gun to their movements. After waiting until 

 they all re-appeared on the surface within range, he made ready 

 for a raking shot over the parapet, but in his impatience he some- 

 what miscalculated the result, for while his legs and feet wriggled 

 for a convenient prop he slipped backwards at the moment of 

 firing, and the shot, which was intended for the ice ducks, took an 

 almost opposite direction. I expected the birds would have taken 

 wing, but they only paddled out of danger, and when sufficiently 

 beyond range, turned round facing the disappointed lad, and 

 raising such a chorus as to provoke a shout of laughter from the 

 people on the pier. At this time I carefully noted the cry, and 

 was able to appreciate fully the origin of the whimsical name 

 given to the bird in many parts of Scotland viz., Coal and 

 Candle Light, or more correctly, Coal an' Carile Licht, for it speaks 

 with a good Scotch accent. The resemblance of the cry to these 

 words, when heard within a short distance, is quite remarkable. 



I may remark that in skinning this bird I have been struck with 

 the smallness of the ear aperture. The irides are said by Mr 

 Yarrell to be hazel, while Macgillivray says they are red. I 

 have invariably found them to be of a bright yellow. The length 

 of the central tail-feathers varies some measuring six inches, and 

 others seven and eight. Mr David Robertson has a specimen in 

 his collection with these feathers measuring fully nine inches. 



In the east of Scotland, Dunbar appears to be the boundary 

 line of the migratory flight of this duck. In November, 1862, I 

 counted forty in a flock off that town ; and in the beginning of 

 April, 1865, a flock of between fifty and sixty was observed by Mi- 

 Sinclair and myself off the farm of Thorntonloch, on the confines 

 of Berwickshire : the birds were idly floating just outside the line 

 of breakers, and enjoying the bright sunshine in tolerably smooth 

 water. 



