2go 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
sesses the egg, according to Mr. R. J. Ussher, who, however, 
states that there is “ no recent evidence of the Pin-tail breed- 
ing in Ireland.” 
Range outside the British Islands. — The Pin-tail is a bird of ver\' 
tvide distribution. It inhabits America, breeding in the far 
north in Alaska and Labrador up to 72° N. lat., wintering as 
far south as the West Indies and Panama. In the old World 
it breeds plentifully in the Arctic Regions up to 70° N. lat., 
and as far south as 50°, but less frequently, and its breeding- 
range extends across Northern Asia to liering Island. In 
winter it visits the Indian Peninsula and China, and has been 
found as far south as Borneo, and it doubtless occurs even 
farther to the southward. 
Habits. — For grace and elegance of form in the water, the 
Pin-tail is probably the handsomest of our British Ducks. It 
is essentially a fresh-water species. Mr. Seebohm gives a very 
interesting account of his experiences with the Pin-tail in the 
Petchora, which space forbids me from quoting in full, but I 
give the following extract from his notes on the species : — “ It 
breeds in the midst of moors, lakes, rivers, and swamps, but 
during migration and in winter it spends most of its time on 
tbe sea-shore, to feed on the mud-flats at low tide. It is one 
of the earliest Ducks to arrive in spring, and one of the latest 
to leave in autumn. If the ground be not covered with snow, 
it makes its appearance in North Germany about the middle 
of March, and passes through again during the month of 
October, remaining in November until it is frozen out. In its 
habits it closely re.scmbles the Mallard, feeding, like the other 
fresh-water Ducks, partly on insects and molluscs, and partly 
on the ends of grass and the buds of water-plants, but, like 
the Mallard, it frequents the stubble-fields in autumn to pick 
up the fallen grain. Its voice closely resembles that of the 
Mallard and the Shoveler, but on the whole it is a silent bird. 
This may be accounted for by its extreme wariness ; it takes 
such great care to avoid danger, that its alarm-note of quack is 
not often required. Its call-note is a low kah ; and Naumann 
says that, in the pairing-season, the male may be seen swim- 
ming round the female, uttering a deep cliik, which, if the 
observer be fortunate enough to be sufficiently near to hear it. 
