348 NESTS IN FRESH WATEB. 



It is, I believe, a commonly received opinion tliat tlie 

 Eider in a wild state confines itself altogether to the 

 ocean. But this wonld not seem always to be the case, 

 for when, during the pi"esent autumn, I was staying with 

 M. Stromberg at Sjobohl, near Falkenberg, on the south- 

 west coast of Sweden, I was assured by him that the 

 Eider has been repeatedly shot in Ramsjou, a fresli-water 

 lake, now partially drained, in the immediate vicinity of 

 liis house, and at a distance, as the crow flies, of some 

 three (English) miles from the sea. He also assured me 

 that the nest of this bird has not unfrequently been met 

 with by himself and others in the extensive peat-bogs 

 surrounding the lake. 



Hamsjon, it should be remarked, lies some ten to 

 twelve feet above the level of the sea, with which (except- 

 ing by means of a canal recently cut to carry off its 

 supei'fluous waters) it has no communication whatever. 

 Its waters, nevertheless, are said to be in some degree 

 brackish, and when very low, a slight crust of salt, or of a 

 substance resembling it, is observable on such parts of the 

 bottom of the lake as are left dry. 



The Eider, like the wild swan and the Long-tailed 

 Hareld, does not seem in any way affected by cold, how- 

 ever great it may be, and unless the sea is entirely frozen 

 over, remains on the coast du^riug the whole winter. 

 Even should it be driven from thence by the ice, it is not 

 supposed to remove to any considerable distance, for as 

 soon as the frost breaks up it immediately returns to its 

 old haunts. Many winter in the Danish seas, where the 

 climate is somewhat less severe. I myself, on one occa- 

 sion, saw myriads of these birds about Christmas time 

 in the Little Belt, or that separating Jutland from the 

 island of Eunen. 



During the winter, the Eider keep together in very 

 large flocks, composed as well of males as females, and at 



