LONG-TAILED DUCK. 
455 
These birds breed on the borders of the rivers, and a sailor that I met on a coasting vessel, 
and who lived in Bay of Islands, Newfoundland, assured me that they bred in the vicinity 
of that port, as he had captured the downy young when on excursions in the interior of 
the island. 
HAEELDA GLACIALIS. 
Long-tailed Duck. 
Hareldaglacialis “Leach” Steph., Shaw’s, Zool., XII, 1824, 175. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, rather robust. Size, quite large. Tail, very long, with middle feathers attenuated and pointed. 
Color. Adult male in summer. Head, neck, breast, upper parts, middle upper tail coverts and tail feathers, and under 
wing coverts, very dark-brown, darkeshjon back. Sides of head and body, bluish-ash. Patch behind eye, longitudinal 
streak on sides of occiput, under parts, and outer tail feathers, white. Feathers of upper back and scapularies, edged with 
chestnut. Iris, brown, bill, black, surrounded by a narrow ring of orange near tip, and feet, bluish. In winter. Head, 
neck, upper back, and breast, white with a patch of brown on sides of head below one of ashy. The top of head iscreamy. 
Scapularies and tertiaries, ashy-blue. Otherwise as in summer. Adult female. Similar to the male, but lacks the long 
tail feathers, and the head and neck are dusky, with a whitish patch around eye and on side of neck behind. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Easily recognized by the long tail and peculiar markings as described. Distributed in summer from Labrador, north¬ 
ward; wintering from Grand Menan to New Jersey. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 18-00; stretch, 28-12; wing, 8*70; tail, 5'25; bill, 
1*15; tarsus, 125. Longest specimen, 21-10; greatest extent of wing, 30-25; longest wing, 9*45; tail, 7-50; bill, 1'30; tarsus, 
1-42. Shortest specimen, 15-00; smallest extent of wing, 26 05; shortest wing, 7 95; tail, 3 05; bill, P05; tarsus, 1-12. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
' Nests, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc., lined with down. Eggs, from six to ten 
in number, elliptical in form, and greenish-ash in color;. Dimensions from l-50x2"10 to 1-55x2-15. 
HABITS. 
The Long-tailed Ducks are fall and winter visitants to our coast. They are found off 
rocky shores, gathering about ledges to feed at low tide, then retreating to open water at 
full sea to rest. Very few of the Ducks have characteristic notes, but the present species 
forms a most decided exception to the rule, as any one can testify who has heard a drake 
Long-tail that has become separated from the flock, for like most Ducks, this species is gre¬ 
garious, utter his cry. “ Ah-ah ah-er-lit ,” he says, as distinctly as if spoken by a human 
being, but with an accent and tone so peculiar, that it must be heard in order to be appre¬ 
ciated. The notes are strong and loud, so loud, in fact, that other males feeding with the 
flock near the rocky clifts, some distance away, hear and respond with “er-lit ah-er-lit .” 
Then the straggler alighting with them, emits a few contented ah-ahs, w T hile every Duck 
welcomes him with alike note, after which they vociferate together for some time, just as 
though they were gossiping, and this habit has caused them to receive the appellation of 
Old Squaws from gunners. The Long-tails depart in early spring, arriving on their breed¬ 
ing grounds in Labrador and northward as soon as the ice has left the rivers. ■ 
GENUS XIV. SOMATERIA. THE SEA DUCES. 
Gen. Ch. Bill, about as long as head, rather high, more or less swollen at base, tapering gradually toward tip and not 
flattened. Neck, short. Marginal indentations, open. 
The trachea is without special dilatation but the larynx of the male is expanded and provided with a bony frame-work. 
The stomach is very muscular. Sexes, not similar. There are three species within our limits. 
SOMATERIA LABRADORIA. 
Labrador Duck. 
Anas Labradoria Gm., Syst. Nat., I; 1788, 557. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sr. Cii. Form, robust. Size, medium. Bill, not much swollen at base. Color. Adult male. Elongated patch on 
