8 9 i.] 
Dutcher on the Labrador Duck. 
201 
THE LABRADOR DUCK: — A REVISED LIST OF 
1 HE EXTANT SPECIMENS IN NORTH AMERICA 
WITH SOME HISTORICAL NOTES. 
BY WILLIAM DUTCHER. 
The object of this revised list is to bring before the ornitholo- 
gists of North America the great desirability of search among the 
private collections of mounted birds, scattered throughout this 
country, for specimens of this species of Duck, which in all proba- 
bility is now nearly, if not altogether extinct. A further object 
is to record the exact history of the extant specimens so far as it 
can be gathered at this late day. There are but few naturalists 
or sportsmen now living who have had any experience with the 
Labrador Duck in life, and these are one by one passing away. 
Of the life history of this interesting species but little is known, 
for when it was common there were but few, if any, observers in 
the field, and the science of ornithology had not advanced to its 
present high plane. As long ago as when Audubon was in La- 
bi ador (see his ‘ Birds of America’) it was so rare that he did 
not meet with it and the great Wilson said of it : “ This is rather 
a scarce species on our coast.”* Giraud, in his ‘Birds of Long 
Island,’ says : “ With us it is rather rare.” 
It is true that at a later date than the above, say during the 
period from 1S40 to 1S60, there were apparently more of these 
Ducks seen than earlier, f 
I his, however, I think, may be easily explained as follows : dur- 
ing the later period there were a far greater number of scientific 
collectors, and there was a market demand for game and water- 
fowl which gave employment to professional gunners who shot 
and sent to market great numbers of birds. During the open 
season one can see hanging in our markets hundreds and some- 
ti mes thousands of Ducks of the commoner varieties ; this has been 
the case for many years, perhaps to a lesser degree formerly 
because the demand was not then so great. While it is very 
* American Ornithology, Vol. Ill, 1829, p. 369. 
t See the letters and statements given below of such ornithologists as George N. 
iwrence, D. G. Elliot, John G. Bell and others who were actively collecting at that 
