THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
Adult male in eclipse-plumage (June to August). — Sides of the fore-part of the 
head whitish and grey; rest of the head, neck and upper breast dark 
brown; base of the nape, upper back and scapulars the same, but each 
widely margined with rufous and chestnut; remainder of the plumage 
unchanged. 
Adult female. — Forehead, crown, hinder part of the sides of the face, 
chin and middle of the throat dark brown; fore-part of the face, sides of the 
throat and ring round the neck white ; upperparts dark brown with broad 
rufous margins to the feathers; upper part of the chest pale rufous, rest 
of the underparts white; wings as in the male; under wing -coverts and 
axillaries ash -brown; middle tail-feathers dark brown, ranging to nearly 
white on the outer pairs. Total length about 15 inches; bill 1'15 
inch; wing 8*0 inches; tail 2*6 inches; tarsus 1*4 inch. 
General distribution. — The long -tailed duck is a circumpolar species 
breeding throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It nests in the Faeroe 
Islands, Iceland, Jan Mayen, Spitzbergen, and Novaya Zemlia; also in 
Northern Scandinavia south to 60° north latitude. North Russia, Siberia, 
Arctic America and Greenland southwards to the Mackenzie River and 
Ungava. In winter it is found in Southern Europe, its range extending 
to about 40°, and visits the Adriatic, Black and Caspian Seas; in Asia it 
is found in Japan and North China, and in America it extends to the 
Northern States and the Great Lakes; rarely to California, Texas and 
Florida. 
Distribution in the British Isles. — To the British Isles it is mostly a 
winter-visitor, but a small number appear to be resident in the Shetland 
and Orkney Islands, and nests have been recorded from these groups 
on several occasions. In winter it is a regular and numerous visitor to 
the east coast of Great Britain, and also to the West of Scotland, including 
the Outer and Inner Hebrides; but on the west and south coasts of England 
it is generally much less frequent. To Ireland it is a less regular visitor, 
and is most often to be met with on the north and west coasts. 
Nest and eggs. — ^The nest, usually placed among low bushes, grass 
and other herbage near fresh water, is made of dry grass and thickly 
lined with brownish -black down. From six to eight eggs are laid in June 
and July; they are pale greyish -green, inclining at times to buff, and 
measure about 2*1 by 1*5 inches. 
The food consists of small molluscs, crustaceans and insects, also, 
in summer, of various aquatic plants. 
358 
