470 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1899. 



quill feathers, so that they could not fly." Mr. L. Lloyd iu Oame 

 Birds and Wild Fowl of Norway states also " that the old male of the 

 common Eider loses his brilliant dress toward autumn and becomes 

 in a great part black," but neither he nor Mr. Dresser seem to 

 have understood the significance of these changes, 



I can hardly realize that the question has not been satisfactorily 

 explained heretofore, but a somewhat extended research has so far 

 failed to discover such explanation and I have therefore prepared 

 an outline of this peculiar molt. 



Descriptions of the molting plumages of the several Eider 

 ducks found in Alaska are appended, taken from specimens in the 

 collection of Mr. Mcllhenny, to whom I am under obligation for 

 allowing me to make use of this material; and to whose^ energy and 

 perseverance science is indebted for one of the finest collections of 

 Arctic birds yet obtained. 



Somateria spectabilis (Linn). King Eider. 



Breeding males up to June 1. are in full nuptial plumage. The 

 next specimens obtained were on August 24 and 30, and these 

 illustrate the change to the molting plumage. The breast is 

 speckled all over with new brown, white and black barred or 

 mottled feathers, the interscapulum is largely speckled with black 

 and the head and neck are being covered with dull brown feathers 

 with black tips. The pattern of the green and pale bluish areas 

 on the head as well as the black V on the throat are still clearly 

 apparent, though they are being rapidly replaced by dull brown 

 feathers and the bright plumage that remains is but lightly at- 

 tached and easily dislodged. 



Another specimen taken August 24, but further advanced, has 

 lost all trace of the bright plumage and is dull colored all over the 

 head, neck and breast. In none of these are the flight feathers 

 molted though they are exceedingly worn and bleached, 



Somateria v-nigra (Gray). Pacific Eider. 



The series of this species includes males in nuptial plumage up 

 to June 3, after which none were secured until August 20. This 

 specimen is a little more advanced than the first King Eiders 

 described above; the dull molting plumage is nearly complete but 

 traces of the bright feathering of the head remain; the old worn 

 flight feathers have not been shed. The next specimens taken 



