246 NATATORES. 



as well as the down ; the female again plucks her 

 bosom, and lays a fresh complement of eggs, which 

 are also taken ; a third time she makes the effort to 

 raise a brood, when the male sometimes assists in 

 lining the nest by taking the down from his own 

 breast. This brood they are allowed to raise, for, if 

 their hopes of progeny are entirely destroyed, they 

 will abandon the place ; whereas, if once attached to 

 a spot, they return to it year after year with their 

 young. 



The Eider Duck is seldom found south of the 

 vicinity of New York. Further north and to the 

 eastward as far as the bay of Fundy, it becomes more 

 abundant ; and to Labrador thousands of pairs, it is 

 said, annually resort to breed and spend the short 

 Summer. Respecting their habits in these countries, 

 Audubon says : " In Labrador, the Eider Ducks be- 

 gin to form their nests about the last week of May. 

 Some resort to islands scantily furnished with grass, 

 near the tufts of which they construct their nests ; 

 others form them beneath the spreading boughs of 

 the stunted firs, and in such places, five, six, or even 

 eight, are sometimes found beneath a single bush. 

 Many are placed on the sheltered shelvings of roc-las 

 a few feet above high-water mark, but none at any 

 considerable elevation ; at least none of my party, 

 including the sailors, found any in such a position. 

 The nest, which is sunk as much as possible into the 

 ground, is formed of sea-weeds, mosses, and dried 

 twigs, so matted and interlaced as to give the appear- 

 ance of neatness to the central cavity, which rarely 



