244 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Family ANATID.1'2. Genus Somateria. 



Sub-family FULIGULlNAi. 



COMMON EIDER. 



Somateria mollissima {Linnmis). 



Single Brooded. Laying season, May and June ; July 

 occasionally. 



British breeding area : The Eider Duck is 

 a decidedly northern species, and is only known to 

 breed in one locality in England, viz. on the Fame 

 Islands. Northwards it becomes more generally, if 

 locally^ distributed, and may be found breeding from 

 the Firth of Forth onwards in all suitable localities 

 round the Scotch coast as far south as Inverness, includ- 

 ing the adjoining islands, such as the Orkneys and 

 Shetlands, the Hebrides, and St. Kilda. It is not known 

 to breed anywhere on the Irish coast-line. 



Breeding habits : The Eider is a thoroughly mari- 

 time species, and only very exceptionally nests at any 

 considerable distance from the sea. Its favourite breed- 

 ing-haunts are rocky islands, low in elevation, and well 

 covered with marine herbage. It is probable that this 

 species pairs for life. Late in spring the flocks that 

 have lived in company during the winter begin to 

 separate more distinctly into pairs, and at this season 

 there is often considerable rivalry displayed amongst 

 the males. The female alone makes the nest, the male 

 rarely if ever visiting it ; but he is usually to be met 

 with at sea close by the islands where his mate is 

 brooding. The nest is invariably placed on the ground, 

 usually amongst bladder-campion or long coarse herb- 

 age, often on a ledge of rocks or in a crevice. I have 

 seen it on the edge of the clitts, several hundreds of feet 



