LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN WILD FOWL 71 



Adults have one complete molt each year, which produces in the 

 male a fairly complete double molt and eclipse pluma<^e of the 

 head, neck, and upper parts. It apparently occurs in July and 

 August, as I have in my collection males in full nuptial pluuuige up 

 to the end of June and a series of nine adult nudes, taken July 2G, 

 showing various stages of the eclipse plumage. In full eclipse the 

 striking colors of the head and neck — white, green, and black — are 

 wholly replaced by " bister '" or '' mummy brown," darker above 

 and lighter below, with only a trace left on the hind neck of the 

 puri)lish black collar. The back becomes dull black and the showy 

 scapulars are replaced by plain " clove brown " feathers which over- 

 hang the showy wings. The wings are still further concealed by 

 " clove brown '' feathers on the flanks and by a suffusion of dusky 

 and brown barred feathers on the shoulders and chest, some of 

 which invade the breast. The remainder of the under parts and 

 the wings remain as they were and are apparently molted only once, 

 t^pecimens showing the change into the full plunuige are not avail- 

 able. 



Food. — -Kef erring to their feeding habits, Mr. Murdoch (1885) 

 says : 



Wlieu open water forms uluiij^' shore, tliat is, in the latter part of July and 

 early part of August, they are to be fouud in large flocks along the beach, 

 collecting in beds at a safe distance from the shore, feeding on marine in- 

 vertebrates, especially gei)hryean worms. 



Mr. Bernard J. Bretherton (1896) says that at Kodiak Island in 

 winter they feed largely on decapods and moUusks, which they ob- 

 tain in deep water, seldom feeding near the shore. Mr. Millais 

 (1913) writes: 



They feed on fish spawn, young fish, crabs, and possibly on vegetable growths, 

 but principally on conchylia and mussels. These they obtain by diving, and 

 their favorite resorts are mussel banks lying at the same depths as those fre- 

 quented by eiders and long-tailed ducks. 



Behavior. — Referring to their behavior on the iSiberian coast, 

 Doctor Nelson (1883) writes: 



Flocks of thousands were found about Cape Wankarem during our stay 

 there the first of August, 1881, and, in company with au equal number of 

 king eiders and a few of the Pacific eider, were seen passing out and in each 

 evening to and from the large estuary back of the native village. This vil- 

 lage was built upon the spit cutting this estuary from the sea at this place, 

 and lay directly in the track of flight followed by these eiders as they passed to 

 or from the sea. As these flocks passed back and forth the birds were being 

 continually brought down by the slings thrown into the midst of the passing 

 birds by the natives; yet, notwithstanding this, the birds continued from 

 day to day the entire season to pass and repass this place. Their heedless- 

 ness in this respect may be accounted for from the fact that these people were 



