KING EIDER. 



Somateria spcctabilis (Linn.). 



In the adult male the feathers about the base of the 

 bill, a small spot below and behind the eye, and a large 

 V-shaped mark on the throat, black. The whole top 

 and back of the head, running down to the nape of the 

 neck, pearl-gray or bluish-white, darkest below, where 

 it sometimes changes almost to black. The sides of 

 the head, running back from the bill below, pearl-gray, 

 and a patch over the ear sea-green, fading into white 

 above and behind. The rest of the head, neck, middle 

 of the back, most of the wing and a patch on either side 

 of the rump, white ; the breast deep buff or cream-color. 

 The greater wing-coverts, scapulars, or shoulder feath- 

 ers, and primaries, brownish-black. The scapulars 

 and tertiary feathers are falcate or sickle-shaped, bend- 

 ing downward over the primaries. The hinder portion 

 of the back, rump, upper tail-coverts and under parts, 



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