82 Birds of North Carolina 



Range. — Northern portion of Norlliorn Hemisphere, coastwise, in winter regularly to Long 

 Island, casually to Georgia. 

 Range in North Carolina. — Occasional along coast. 



Eiders liclong essentially to arctic seas. In winter they appear in limited num- 

 bers in the ocean off the coast of the United States, regularly as far south as New 

 York. Their food consists largely of shellfish of many varieties; hence their flesh 

 is hut little sought for the table. 



It appears that they come but seklom to our coast. Cooke, in his publication, 

 "Distribution of North American Ducks, Geese, and Swans," states that in the year 

 1897 King Eiders were taken in Mrginia and South Carolina. Again in 1890 and 

 1904 they most probably visited North Carolina, for he records their occurrence 

 those years on the Georgia coast. In December, 1908, a flight reached our shores. 

 Four were killed at Oregon Inlet, in Dare County, on December 3. Two of these 

 were later presented to John E. Thaj'cr of Lancaster, IMassachusetts, and arc; now 

 in his collection. On the IGth of the same month an immature female was shot at 

 Pea Island, Dare County, by .1. U. Roberson, and presented to Bishop, who was 

 on the island at the time. Bishop writes that others were locally reported to have 

 been taken in the region at a slightly earlier date. 



The Eider, Sonuileria dresseri Sharpe, has Ijeen known to come as far south as \'irginia, and 

 hence is not unUkely to occur on our coast. In this species there is no V-shaped black murk 

 on the throat in the male, while the top of head is mainly black, and the scajjulars and tertials 

 arc white. In the female the feathering on the top of the l)ill does not extend more tlian 

 lialfway to tlie nostril, and that on the lorcis leaches forward to below the hind end of the 

 nostril. Size same as King Eider. 



Genus Oidemia (Flem.) 



KEY TO SPECIES 



1. Wing with a white patch in both sexes. White-mnged Scoter. 



1. Wing without white patcli. See 2. 



2. Nostrils in middle of bill. No white. Scoter. 



2. Nostrils beyond miildle of bill. Head with some white. Surf Scoter. 



Fig. 52. Scoter (iiilult male). 



62. Oidemia americana (Swains.). Scoter. 



Ad. o". — lOntire plumage lilack, feathers on side of bill extending little if any forward be- 

 yond corner of mouth; liill black; upper mandible orange or yellowish at the base. Ad. 9 

 and Im. — -Above chest and sides grayish brown; cheeks whitish, sh.<irply defined from crown; 



