220 SOMATERIA LABEADOEIA. 



American Museum of Natural History. This specimen is the only adult 

 male, I have every reason to believe, that has been obtained in America durino* 

 the past twenty years, and is the last one, I think, that has been seen alive. 

 Previously to that time (ten years ago), occasionally immature specimens 

 were brought into the New-York markets ; but I have not heard of any since 

 that time. Twenty or thirty years ago, as I have been informed by Mr. J. 

 G. Bell of New York, it was one of the commonest Ducks for sale in New 

 York ; but suddenly it disappeared, and, with the exception of an occasional 

 straggler, was never seen again. The cause of its disappearance is one of those 

 mysterious facts which it is beyond the power of any naturalist to explain; 

 for, unlike the Great Auk, the Pied Duck was very strong upon the wing 

 and perfectly able to take care of itself. Besides the male already mentioned, 

 my collection contained another adult male and adult female, and, I think, two 

 young males, obtained near New York, all of which are in the New-York 

 Museum.'' 



Mr. George N. Lawrence, of New York (April 10th, 1876), informs me 

 as follows : — 



" Mr. J. Akhurst, of Brooklyn, told me that he received a fine adult 

 male from the seashore of Long Island in 1868, which he sold, and thinks it 

 went to Europe. Mr. J. Wallace, of New York, obtained a female or young 

 male in the fall of 1874, and in the previous five years got in the market at 

 least four or five others, but no adult male. These were all from Long 

 Island. Mr, J. G. Bell, our oldest and most experienced taxidermist, has had 

 numerous specimens. Mr. P. Brasher, a friend of mine, had an adult male 

 which he obtained in the market in November 1841, and also a female shot 

 by himself at Egg Harbour, New Jersey, in October 1842. He sold his 

 collection to some eastern college, and thinks it was destroyed by fire. Mr. 

 Bell mentioned that he saw a lot of about twenty in the Fulton market, all 

 killed on one expedition by Isaac Loper, a professional Long-Island gunner. 

 This was about 1S40-42. 



