The Long-Tailed Duck. 163 



is Italy, and Dr. H. H. Giglioli says iu that season it is not uncommon in upper 

 Italj', and specially in the Venetian Provinces. 



In Asia it occurs in winter as an occasional straggler to Astrakhan. Mr. R. 

 Swinhoe had a female from Hakodadi in winter, but he never met with it in 

 China ; it has, however, been shot off the mouth of the Peiho river, and it is said 

 to be common near the coast at Yezo. 



Sir John Richardson found the Long-tailed Duck plentiful in the Arctic seas. 

 In 1875, Colonel Feilden shot it in lat. 82° 27' N. at Floeberg Beach, and during 

 the summer of 1876 a few visited the Northern shores of Griunell Land, where 

 they were evidently breeding, ("Ibis," 77, p. 411). 



It is one of the last Ducks to leave the Fur countries, and in the latter part of 

 August, when a thin crust of ice forms during the night on the Arctic sea, the 

 female may be seen breaking a way for her young brood. 



Adams says they first appeared at Michalaski on May 7th, when scarcely any 

 had completed their spring moult, white feathers about the head and scapulars still 

 remaining. MacFarlane found immense numbers near Fort Anderson, breeding, 

 the great proportion of nests in the vicinity of fresh-water ; the eggs, five to 

 seven, and usually covered with down, but if not they were certain to be fresh. 

 The eggs are pale greyish-green, but sometimes paler and less green. 



Mr. H. W. Elliot says, at the breaking up of the ice they come to open 

 water with their peculiar sonorous and reiterated cry, resembling the syllables ah- 

 iiaah-naah-yah, which rings cheerfully upon the sea after the silence and desolation 

 of an Arctic ice-bound winter. The Canadians call it "caeca-wee," as it is by far 

 the most noisy of all the Ducks. In Newfoundland, Mr. Reeks says, the settlers 

 call them " hounds," and syllable the cry as cow- cow-wit. I know of no bird whose 

 notes have been rendered in so many different ways on paper. I have heard it 

 at sea off the east coast of Scotland in spring, like the distant voices of beagles 

 or low bugle notes ; very musical and pleasant to the ear, yet undefinable as — 



" The horns of Elf-laud faintly blowing ! " 



In Shetland, Saxby says, it is known as " Calloo," from its cry cal-cal-caloo, uttered 

 in a distinct but gentle tone ; and when the " Calloo " sings it is a sign of fair 

 weather. St. John compares the note to the distant bugle-note of the wild Swan. 

 Macgillivray (after Nuttall) as ogh-ough-egh. One of its local names Coal-and- 

 Candle-light, (Coal-an-Can'le-light), has been given in imitation of its call. Mr. 

 Graham, of lona, perhaps comes nearest with Otcr-o-u-ah ! Our-o-u-ah ! The Gaelic 

 name is " Lach Bhinn " — Musical Duck. The female has no call. Mr. A. Trevor- 

 Battye says, the call is well expressed by the Samoyed name for the bird, A-bo. 



