COMMON EIDER. 373 



sometimes in the reeds and rushes, and at other times 

 amongst the tufts of sedge. It is simply a hollow, lined 

 with dead grass and sedge, and coated with down. 



The eggs are eight to twelve in number, and re- 

 semble in appearance those of the former species — 

 the Pochard. They are laid rather late in the year, 

 towards the end of May. The head, neck, and crest of 

 this bird are black, tinted with green and purple ; the 

 breast is black, the rest of the upper parts are dusky 

 brown, the feathers being margined with black, the 

 belly creamy white. 



COMMON EIDER. 



SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA. 



Genus Somateria. 



Eider Duck— St. Cuthbert's Duck. 



The Eider Duck breeds in some parts of the north 

 of Britain, such as the Fame Islands, the Hebrides, 

 Orkneys and Shetlands ; in these parts it is conse- 

 quently a resident. South of Yorkshire it is only a 

 rare and occasional visitor. 



The Eider is essentially a sea bird, and is hardly 

 ever found inland. It dives with ease, and most of 

 its food is obtained by this means. It feeds upon 

 marine insects, shell-fish and crustaceans. These 

 birds are gregarious, more particularly so in winter 

 than in summer; in this country, where the birds 

 do not occur in great numbers, the flocks are small — 

 from ten to twenty birds — but where the birds abound 

 they often collect in very large bands. 



Though the male Eider is always a cautious bird 

 and seldom comes within gunshot, the female is re- 



