SEA DUCKS 107 



There seems no doubt but that the species formerly occurred 

 as a winter bird along the Maine coast. The last known indi- 

 vidual taken was secured at Grand Menan, New Brunswick, 

 in 1871. Forty -two specimens are on record as being preserved 

 in various collections. It seems hard to explain why this species 

 should become extinct as it was not considered especially de- 

 sirable as a table bird. Possibly it may have been exterminated 

 by some peculiar distemper or disease which attacked it in its 

 breeding grounds. 



Genus SOMATERIA Leach. 

 Subgenus SOMATERIA. 



159. Sornateria molissima borealis C. L. Brehm. Greenland 

 Eider; Northern Eider. 



Plumage of adult male : head black on top, and with greenish white line 

 on crown ; a greenish tinge to sides and back of head ; upper breast, back, 

 throat, neck, rest of head, and lesser wing coverts white ; middle of rump, 

 tail coverts, belly and adjoining breast black. Plumage of adult female and 

 immature : the whole general plumage is a mixed barring or margining of 

 the feathers with buffy ochraceous and dusky or black, the head, throat and 

 neck being streaked with the black, while on the other parts the markings 

 are more like wavy interrupted markings running crosswise. In any 

 plumage the birds belonging to this species may be told by the narrow 

 pointed ending or angle made by the bare arms of the V space on top of the 

 bill. Wing 10.50 to 11.50 ; culmen 2.15 ; tarsus 1.95. 



Geog. Dist. — Northeastern North America and Greenland, south in winter 

 rarely to Maine and more rarely to Massachusetts. 



County Records. — Cumberland ; I have one which was taken in Casco Bay, 

 April 6, 1903, (Lord). Knox; rare in winter, (Rackliflf). Sagadahoc; one 

 specimen, a male, (Spinney) . 



Only a very few of these birds straggle southwards to our 

 coast in winter, at which time they are usually associated with 

 flocks of their near relatives, the American Eiders, with which 

 they are closely identified in food, habits, etc. They nest in 

 colonies on some of the islands off the northern coast of 

 Labrador, laying four to eight eggs of a pale greenish olive color. 

 Four eggs from near Cut-throat, Labrador, July 7, 1897, were 



