NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 183 



character by which they can be always distinguished 

 from those of the Pintail Duck. The down of this Eider 

 is undescribed, but will doubtless prove sufficiently 

 characteristic to render the identification of the eggs 

 complete. Eggs of this species, unaccompanied by 

 down, unless thoroughly well authenticated, are worthless 

 as scientific specimens. 



Family ANATID.^. Genus Somateria. 



Sub-family FULIGULIiVyE. 



KING EIDER. 



Somateria spectabtlis {Liiinaus). 



(British : Probably breeds : Rare nomadic autumn and winter 

 migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, first half of July. 

 (June, if in British Islands.) 



Breeding area : Northern Nearctic and Palaearctic 

 regions. The King Eider breeds on the islands off the 

 coast of Northern Siberia, on Nova Zembla, Franz-Josef 

 Land, probably Spitzbergen, and in Greenland, and on 

 the islands and coasts of Arctic North America, perhaps 

 as far north as land extends. 



Breeding habits : The King Eider is another 

 nomadic species which only wanders south in winter as 

 far as or little beyond where the ice compels it. It is 

 more or less gregarious throughout the year, the females 

 nesting in close company, and the males consorting 

 together on the sea close to the breeding places. Of 

 the pairing habits of this Eider nothing appears to be 



