LONG-TAILED DUCK. 
117 
ducks, and seldom ramble far from tbe 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 Russia ; 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 mid- 
dle 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 lined 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 Charles- 
ton, 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. 
