Long-tailed Duck 
that most of the nests of the Long-tailed Duck were placed in scrub willows, either 
close to or at some short distance from the waters of the lakes or rivers in Iceland. They 
also nest on high banks amongst rough grass, on the banks of lakes and rivers, and 
on islets. Seebohm and Harvie-Brown describe the nesting sites as generally situated 
amongst the vegetable debris on islets near the sea. Nests such as I found were merely 
hollows, fairly deep, sometimes lined with dried grass or tufts of heathery ernpetrum, at 
others only lined with sooty-brown down with whitish spots. Hantzsch describes the down 
as "pale-brown," and Dresser "dark sooty-brown with dull white spots" (see also descrip- 
tions in Zoologist, 1906, p. 373, and British Birds, ii. p. 39). The nest is sometimes well 
concealed, at other times somewhat exposed in cavities amid stones. 
It is interesting to note the variation in the nesting materials and coloration of 
the down of the different species of these Arctic-breeding ducks, as each and all are so 
distinct, and are a useful point in the identification of the nests of the various species which 
may be of use to the young collector. Wigeon : nest-lining grass and leaves, down, not 
very abundant, ashen-grey ; Barrow's Golden-Eye : down mixed with small parts of dry 
plants, down abundant and whitish in colour ; Long-tailed Duck : down sometimes mixed 
with fine dry plants and leaves, down sooty-brown with whitish spots ; Scaup : down 
mixed with coarse plants and grasses, down very dark brown ; Black Scoter : lined with 
coarse plants, down grey-brown ; Red-breasted Merganser : lined with coarse grass or plants, 
down light ash-grey. 
Mr. H. J. and C. E. Pearson {Ibis, 1895, p. 244), in describing nests found in 
Iceland, say : — 
"We found eggs from June i8th to July 20th. Most of the nests were to be found on islands. On 
July 20th we drove a bird from a nest with six eggs, and this nest was situated several hundred metres 
from the water, on the bare slope of a hillock, and on black sand. Down was the only material in the 
nest, and the dark colour of this provided complete protection for the nest if the duck covered the eggs 
with it. Not one of the many nests noticed by us was placed in a hole, but they were frequently 
in a cavity between two hillocks of grass. In this neighbourhood the exterior of the nest was always 
made of grass, and the bird covered the eggs with grass if she left them ; they were often successful 
in making a very deceptive imitation of an old nest. The only safe plan is to thrust the hand deep into 
the nest whether it looks old or new." 
The usual number of eggs is 5 or 6 to 9, and rarely 10, and they are in shape elliptical 
or blunt oval, with a glossy shell ; the colour is pale greyish-green, ranging to buff or 
brownish-buff. 
Late in May or early in June the first eggs are met with, and our party in Iceland 
ate fresh eggs on July 2nd. Seebohm took eggs on the Petschora and on the Yenesei at 
the beginning of July, and Pearson says June 20th to July i8th is the nesting season. 
Nevertheless a few hatch out early in July, for I saw two females with newly hatched 
young on July 3rd in the Skalfandi River. Incubation is performed by the female alone, 
with the male in constant attendance until the young are born. Hantzsch gives the period 
of incubation as three and a half weeks. 
When first paired, and until the male deserts the female in July, the sexes are much 
devoted to one another, and go through lively expressions of joy when meeting on the 
female leaving her nest. If danger threatens they will not leave one another, and the male 
