460 EIDER DUCK. 



larger species, Soniateria v-nignon, the male of which has a black 

 chevron under the chin. A form distinguished as S. mollissima 

 horealis inhabits Greenland up to kit. 81° N., and goes westward as 

 far as the Coppermine River in Arctic America ; while in Southern 

 Labrador, and down to the Delaware in winter, is found S. dresseri, 

 Sharpe, which has the bare space near the base of the bill rounded 

 rather than triangular, and the sides of the crown greener ; an 

 example of this form, obtained by Mr. T. M. Pike in Holland, is in 

 Mr. Hart's museum at Christchurch, Hants. In winter our Eider 

 occurs irregularly on the coasts of Europe, and exceptionally as far 

 south as the Adriatic and other portions of the Mediterranean ; 

 occasionally on inland waters. 



The nest is usually among coarse herbage on low islands at no 

 great distance from water ; but it has occasionally been found a mile 

 or even more inland, and also at upwards of 1,000 feet above sea- 

 level. The materials are grasses, fine sea-weed, and sometimes 

 heather, while during incubation, which lasts about 28 days, the 

 celebrated down is gradually added. The duck, when disturbed, 

 squirts a stinking liquid over her eggs ; these, 5-8 in number, vary 

 from greenish-grey to bright green : measurements 3 in. by 2 in. 

 Towards the end of May, when the ducks begin to sit, the drakes 

 leave them and form small parties. The food, obtained by 

 diving, consists of mussels — some of which, swallowed entire, are 

 2\ in. in length — crustaceans, and sea-weed ; while, in confinement, 

 worms, slugs and the raw flesh of other birds are freely eaten. 

 Several broods have been hatched in the Zoological Gardens. 



The adult male in very early spring has the bill greenish ; down 

 its centre halfway to the nostrils there reaches a wedge of black 

 feathers, like those of the sides of the bill, forehead and crown, 

 the last being bisected by a white line running to the pale green 

 nape and divided by another white line from a green patch on each 

 side of the neck ; cheeks, back and wing-coverts white ; long sickle- 

 shaped secondaries yellowish-white ; quills, rump and tail nearly 

 black, with a patch of white on each side of the last ; breast rosy- 

 buff; belly black; legs and toes dull green. In summer the white 

 feathers are shed, and the back becomes nearly black. Length 

 23 in. ; wing 11 in. The female is chiefly buff with dark bars, but 

 is very ruddy in first plumage ; quills and tail-feathers dull black. 



The front figure in the wood-cut represents an old male, and an 

 immature bird of the same sex is in the background. The male 

 does not attain full plumage until the third spring. 



