554 Capt. Sabine's Memoir on the Birch of Greenland, ^c. 



on shore Avere very rare and very hurried. Two females were 

 killed, agreeing as well as the male with the descriptions of au- 

 thors. It is reasonable to suppose that they are the same num- 

 ber of years in attaining maturity as the Eider Duck ; but the 

 different states of their immature plumage have not as yet been 

 noticed. This is one of the desiderata which it is hoped the next 

 voyage will supply. The rarity of this bird in the milder parts 

 of Europe, and the want of specimens of it in the best collec- 

 tions, have occasioned it to be imperfectly known, except amongst 

 the writers on the ornithology of the northern regions. Temminck 

 in his Manuel considers it as the Anas mollissima in one of its 

 changes ; this is the cause that there is no reference to his work 

 amongst the books cited. It is however noticed in the second 

 edition of his Manuel, now preparing for publication, as a distinct 

 species. 



The trachea of the King Duck has so close a resemblance to 

 that of the Anas moUissima or Eider Duck, that one description 

 and figure will suffice for both : they are represented in the an- 

 nexed plate. Tab. XXX. Fig. 1 and 2. 



27. Anas Mollissima. Eider Duck. 



A. Mollissima. Gmel. i. 514. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. 845. Temm. 549- Miill. no. HO. 

 Fabr. 68. Biihi. tios. 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 03, 64, 65, <^- 66. Fawi. Stiec. 41.— 

 Eider Duck. Lath. Si/n. vi. 470. Supp. 274. Dr. Zool. ii. 243. Mont. Diet. Sf 

 Siipp. Arct. Zool. ii. 553. IVil. Jm. Orn. viii. 122 (male). 125 (female). 



Abundant on the coast of Greenland ; but we were not fortu- 

 nate in obtaining many specimens. According to Fabricius these 

 Ducks congregate in immense flocks during the winter. Briin- 

 nich has described the male of various ages, as well as the female, 

 and several varieties : according to his account the male is not 

 perfectly mature in plumage till the fourth year; he describes the 

 male at one year old as having white as well as black markings on 



various 



1 



