LONG-TAILED Dl'CK. 456 



These birds breed on the borders of the rivers, and a sailor that I met on a coasting vessel, 

 and who lived in Buy of Islands, Newfoundland, assured uie that they bred in the vicinity 

 of that port, as he had captured the downy young when on excursions in the interior of 

 the island. 



HAKELDA GLACIALIS. 



Long-tailed Duck. 

 Harelda glacialii "LKACn" Steph., Shaw's, Zool., XII, 1824, 175. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, rather robust. Size, quite large. Tail, very long, with middle feathers attenuated and pointed. 

 (.'<ii.ui:. Adult male in sumnar. Head, neck, breast, upper parts, middle upper tail coverts and tail f'entliers, nnd under 

 winii coverts, v< TV dark-brown, darkest^on back. Sides of head and body, bluish-Hill. Patch behind eye, longitudinal 

 stre;ik on sides of occiput, umler parts, and outer tail feathers, white. Feathers of upper back and scapularies, edged with 

 chestnut. Iris, brown, bill, black, surrounded by a narrow ring of orange near tip, and feet, bluish. In winter. Head, 

 mvk. upper hack, and breast, white with a patch of brown on sides of head below one of ashy. The top of head is creamy. 

 Scapularics and tertiarii's, ashy-blue. Otherwise as in summer. Adult female. Similar to the male, but lacks the long 

 tail feathers, and the head and neck are dusky, with a whitish patch around eye and on side of neck behind. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Easily recognized by the long tail and peculiar markings as described. Distributed in summer from Labrador, north- 

 ward; wintering from Grand Menan to New Jersey. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 18'OC; stretch, 28' 12; wing, 8'70; tail, 5'25; bill, 

 T15; tarsus, 1'2.>. Longest specimen, 21' 10; greatest extent of wing, 30'25; longest wing,9'45: tail, 7-53; bill, T30; tarsus, 

 T42. Shortest specimen, IS'OO; smallest extent of wing, 26'05; shortest wing, 7 95; tail, 3 05; bill, 1'05; tarsus, 1-bJ. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND KGGS. 



Nests, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. , lined with down. Eyys, from six to ten 

 in number, elliptical in form, and greenish-ash in color. Dimensions from I'50x2'10 to r55x2'15. 



II A 15 ITS. 



The Long-tailed Ducks are fall and winter visitants to our coast. They are found off 

 rocky shores, gathering about ledges to feed at low tide, then retreating to open water at 

 full sea to rest'. Very few of the Ducks have characteristic notes, but the present species 

 forms a most decided exception to the rule, as any one can testify who has heard a drake 

 Long-tail that has become separated from the flock, for like most Ducks, this species is gre- 

 garious, utter his cry. "Ah-ah ah-er-lit," he says, as distinctly as if spoken by a human 

 being, but with an accent and tone so peculiar, that it must be heard in order to be appre- 

 ciated. The notes are strong and loud, so loud, in fact, that other males feeding with the 

 flock near the rocky clifts, some distance away, hear and respond with "er-lit ah-er-lit." 

 Then the straggler alighting with them, emits a few contented ah-ahs, while every Duck 

 welcomes him with alike note, after which they vociferate together for some time, just as 

 though they were gossiping, and this habit has caused them to receive the appellation of 

 Old S'liia-.vs from gunners. The Long-tails depart in early spring, arriving on their breed- 

 ing grounds in Labrador and northward as soon as the ice has left the rivers. 



(.KMS.XIV. SOMATF.KIA. THE SEA DUCKS. 



'IKS. Cu. Bill, a/mut as lony as head, rather hi(jh, more or less swollen at bate, laperimj gradually toward tip and not 

 flattened. Neck, short. Maryinal indentations, o/Kn. 



The trachea is without social dilatation bu' the larynx of the male is expanded and provided witha bony frame-work. 

 The stomach is very muscular. Sexes, not similar. There are three species within our limits. 



SOMATERIA LABRADOKIA. 



Labrador Duck. 



Anas Labradona (in., S\-t. Nat., I; 1788, 557. 

 DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cu. Form, robust. Size, medium. L'iil, not much swollen at ba-r. COI.OK. Ailult nui/<-. Kloniralrd patch <m 



