so BULLETIN 130, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



being lowered and the neck drawn up. At the same time he inhales, and on 

 releasing the air as he slightly sinks forward, he utters a gentle " Pu-whoo " 

 or " Aa-u," almost a dove-like cry. At the moment the call is emitted, the 

 mouth is slightly opened. The call of the male is repeatedly uttered and is 

 often made without " lifting " in front. At such times the head is held for- 

 ward, then erected to the normal position as the cry is given. At the moment 

 of calling, the whole throat is somewhat distended. When a general display 

 is in progress amongst a flock of eiders the males and females are in a con- 

 stant state of movement and activity. The males often make half turns and 

 bows toward their inamorata, and utter a high soft note like the syllable 

 " whoop." 



Lucieii M. Turner found northei-n eiders very abundant in Hudson 

 Straits ; his notes say : 



They were by far the most abundant duck, probably exceeding all others to- 

 gether. The islands of Ungava Bay are crowded with them. During the 

 mating season the males are irascible and when the mate is chosen he care- 

 fully resents an intrusion from another male. Severe and, often fatal, en- 

 counters take place between rival males, resulting in complete defeat to the 

 one or the other. Tliey fight by seizing with the beak and slapping v,'ith the 

 wings ; more of a kind of wrestle in which they endeavor to get the head of the 

 adversary under the water. When enjoying quiet the male is fond of utter- 

 ing a cooing sound Oo oo, spreading one wing out while he rolls on his side, 

 then recovei-ing and kicking rapidly through the water that makes it fly on 

 both sides. This note with a curring sound made in their contests are the 

 only ones I have heard the males produce. 



The immature males, during the breeding season, do not associate with the 

 adults. They keep aloof and are usually solitary. Not until the fully adult 

 plumage of the male is assumed does he enter into contest for the female. 



Nesting. — The same observer describes two interesting nesting 

 localities as follows: 



A few miles below Mackay's Island, about 18 miles up the Koksoak River, 

 is a deep cove on the left bank and nearly opposite " Pancake " point. I gave 

 the name of Eider Cove to that locality from the number of eider's nests I 

 discovered in it during my first visit there — June 17, 18S3. The cove is about 

 400 yards deep and 75 yards wide, preserving a nearly uniform width to the 

 head, where a lively stream dashes down over the jagged rocks. The south 

 side is inaccessible, formed by a steep wall of granite sloping very slightly 

 to the summit, which is about 400 feet high. The northern side or wall is 

 composed of ledges and projections covered with rank grasses, weeds, and 

 ferns. On these ledges and rocks 14 nests of the common eider were found. 

 The first nest was at the base of the rock on a flat scarcely above high-tide 

 mark. This nest contained 5 eggs. Near by were 2 other nests, one of 3, and 

 the other of 1 egg. Farther within were 11 nests each containing from 3 to 

 11 eggs. Only in the nests containing the greater number of eggs were they 

 unfitted for food. I secured 49 eggs perfectly fresh and about a dozen that 

 were too far advanced to be eaten. 



On that same trip I visited the islands ofC the mouth of Whale River. 

 Here James Irvine and myself collected, in less than an hour and a half, over 

 500 eggs from a single island and could, doubtless, have obtained many more, 

 but a storm was near by and and we had to make for a larger island where 

 we could secure the heavy whaleboat we had with us. As we approached that 

 island the number of male eiders in the surrounding water and occasional 



