210 DUCK SHOOTING. 



and on the New Jersey coast, as well as on one or more 

 of the Great Lakes and on some of the far inland rivers. 

 It appears to be nowhere a very abundant species, but is 

 found in the Arctic Sea, on both coasts of America, and 

 is not uncommon in Alaska. All the Arctic expedi- 

 tions report seeing it and many have found its nest. It 

 is resident in Greenland and it is said that it occasion- 

 ally breeds as far to the southward as the Bay of 

 Fundy. 



Mr. Charles Linden reports it as having been taken, 

 on a number of occasions, on Lake Erie, and Mr. Nel- 

 son gives it as a visitor to Lake Michigan and to other 

 parts of Illinois and Wisconsin ; while the Smithsonian 

 Institution possesses specimens shot on Lake Erie and 

 others secured on the Illinois River. 



In Alaska Dr. Dall has found it, though not south of 

 the Bering Sea. It occurs, however, in the Bering Sea, 

 on both the American and Asiatic coasts, not far south 

 of Bering Straits. 



The king eider breeds far to the northward. Its 

 nest is entirely simple, merely a hollow in the ground, in 

 which pale green eggs are deposited, over which the 

 female bird commonly places a layer of down. 



From what has been said of its range it will be seen 

 that the king eider is not likely to come within the reach 

 of the gunner, except as a very rare straggler. It is 

 one of the most beautiful of ducks, and the male, if 

 killed, can at once be recognized. This species feeds 

 chiefly on shell-fish of various descriptions, and, as may 

 be imagined, is not a desirable bird for the table. 



