216 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



as the "Calloo"; in other parts of Scotland the 

 clear, gabbling cry of this Duck has been freely 

 translated into the words "coal-an'-can'le-licht." 

 To many American gunners the bird is known as 

 " Old Squaw," from its oft-repeated cries. The 

 male bird is singularly graceful in appearance, his 

 long, black central tail feathers projecting five 

 inches beyond the remaining white ones. The 

 head and neck are white, but on either side, below 

 the ears, is a dark brown circular patch ; the gorget 

 and the upper parts generally are black, against 

 which, however, the long, elongated white scapulars 

 are very conspicuous ; the underparts, below the 

 gorget, are white. The female is much less showy, 

 the black parts in the male being dark brown in 

 this sex, and the white parts are suffused with 

 brown ; the elongated scapulars are wanting. 

 During exceptionally severe weather the Long- 

 tailed Duck sometimes approaches our coasts in 

 unusual numbers, and in districts where it is 

 generally a scarce bird. This Duck is a late 

 migrant, seldom reaching even our most northerly 

 coasts before November. It returns north in April. 

 It is strictly marine in its haunts during winter, 

 often wandering long distances from land, and 

 approaching the shore usually under pressure of 

 stormy weather. Then it shows a decided prefer- 

 ence for rock-bound coasts, frequenting the creeks 

 and inlets which afford a considerable amount of 

 shelter. The Long-tailed Duck is gregarious at 



