An energetic electron layer is found immediately adjacent to, and outside of, the magnetopause surface along the distant magnetotail (-40≲XSM≲-15RE). The layer has been detected using Caltech instrumentation aboard the earth-orbiting spacecraft IMP-8 and is observed for electrons with energies E>200 keV. The present study shows that such electrons form a layer ~3RE thick and are strongly streaming in a well-ordered pattern, especially along the dusk magnetopause. The energy dissipation implied by the persistent flow may be a direct indication of nearly continuous magnetic merging at or near the magnetopause.