LONG-TAILED DUCK. 17 
ducks, and seldom ramble far from the sea. They inhabit 
our bays and coasts during the winter only ; are rarely found 
in the marshes, but keep in the channel, diving for small shell- 
fish, which are their principal food. In passing to and from 
the bays, sometimes in vast flocks, particularly towards even- 
ing, their loud and confused noise may be heard in calm 
weather at the distance of several miles. They fly very swiftly, 
take short excursions, and are lively restless birds. Their 
native regions are in the north, where great numbers of them 
remain during the whole year, part only of the vast family 
migrating south to avoid the severest rigours of that climate. 
They are common to the whole northern hemisphere. In the 
Orkneys, they are met with in considerable flocks from Octo- 
ber to April; frequent in Sweden, Lapland, and Bussia ; are 
often found about St Petersburg, and also in Kamtschatka. 
Are said to breed at Hudson’s Bay, making their nest among 
the grass near the sea, like the eider duck, and about the 
middle of June lay from ten to fourteen bluish white eggs, the 
size of those of a pullet. When the young are hatched, the 
mother carries them to the water in her bill. The nest is 
jined with the down of her breast, which is accounted equally 
valuable with that of the eider duck, were it to be had in the 
same quantity.* They are hardy birds and excellent divers. 
Are not very common in England, coming there only in very 
severe winters, and then but in small straggling parties; yet 
are found on the coast of America as far south at least as 
Charleston, in Carolina, during the winter. Their flesh is held 
in no great estimation, having a fishy taste. The down and 
plumage, particularly on the breast and lower parts of the 
body, are very abundant, and appear to be of the best quality. 
The length of this species is twenty-two inches; extent, 
thirty inches ; bill, black, crossed near the extremity by a band 
of orange ; tongue, downy ; iris, dark red; cheeks and front- 
let, dull dusky drab, passing over the eye, and joining a large 
* Latham, 
VOL, III. B 
