King Elder {Somaterla spectabilis) 



Range. — Breeds along coast of northern Siberia and Arctic coast of America 

 from lev Cape east to Melville Island, Wellington Channel, northern Greenland, 

 northwestern Hudson Bay, and northern Ungava ; winters on Pacific coast from 

 Aleutian Islands to Kodiak Island, in the interior rarely to the Great Lakes, and 

 from soutliern Greenland and Gulf of St. Lawrence south regularly to Long Island. 



The King Eider is a resident of Arctic realms, and visits the Great Lakes and 

 our North Atlantic coast only in winter. At Point Barrow, on the Arctic coast, 

 Murdock found this the most abundant bird, but even there it occurred chiefly as 

 a migrant. The King Eider is almost as much at home in the w-ater as a fish, and 

 is able to keep to the open sea during the severest winter weather. In fact, prob- 

 ably the bulk of the species never migrate at all, or only move south a sufficient 

 distance to reach permanent open water. The bird feeds largely upon mussels, 

 and as the beds are in deep water all its natatorial powers are brought into play 

 in diving for its daily fare. It has actually been taken in the gill nets of fishermen 

 in more than 150 feet of water, as Eaton states, a fact which sufficiently attests 

 its skill and hardihood, more particularly as the water at this season is icy cold. 



Like its relatives, it nests among rocks and bushes. The eiders are not so 

 prolific as many of our smaller ducks, and this one commonly lays only five or 

 six eggs. The King Eider is one of the species the Icelanders depend on to fur- 

 nish the harvest of down which is one of the important crops gathered by these 

 northern people. The Icelanders are not the only ones who are dependent on this 

 and other eiders for the necessities of life, for as Nelson tells us, "the skins of all 

 the eiders, but especially of this species and the Pacific Eider, are used in making 

 clothing by the Alaskan Eskimo, and the skin of the female, split down the back, 

 with head, legs, and wings removed, is a very common article of footwear. It is 

 used inside of the sealskin boots, and is very comfortable in winter." 



The Little Brown Wren 



The little brown wren has the brightest of eyes,. . 



And a foot of a very diminutive size ; 



Her tail is as trig as the sail of a ship ; 



She's demure, thought she walks with a hop and skip ; 



And her voice — but a flute were more fit than a pen, 



To tell of the voice of the little brown wren. 



— Clinton Holland. 



790 



