350 ITS FOOD. 



that as with several other oceanic birds, "if it accidentally 

 loses sight of the sea, its powers of flight forsake it, 

 and it will alight on the ground and look about in state 

 of bewilderment, and at such times allow itself to be 

 taken by the hand." When thus out of its latitude, it 

 occasionally finds its way to very singular localities. Last 

 autumn, when at Ellinge, in Scania, distant some twenty 

 miles from the sea, the proprietor. Count Carl Duker, 

 pointed out to me a small pond near the mansion, where 

 some years before an Eider Duck had been shot by one 

 of his people. 



This bird feeds on crustaceans and marine insects, and 

 some great authorities will have it on tlie finny tribe, 

 as well. It may be so ; but though on very many occasions 

 we have known the Eider, when dead, to disgorge quan- 

 tities of cockles, crabs, and some of these of considerable 

 size, we were never aware of anything in the shape of a 

 fish. I speak of it in the wild state, for when domesticated, 

 it will cat almost anything. It obtains its food at the 

 bottom ; at times, it is said, at a depth of twenty fathoms. 

 To this I cannot testify ; but certain it is that, even when 

 unmolested, it remains under water a very long time. 



The weight of the male Eider, prior to pairing, and 

 when in tolerable condition, averages near six pounds; 

 that of the female about the same, or it may be somewhat 

 more. The largest we ever killed did not weigh fully 

 as much as seven pounds. 



The female forms her nest of sea-weed, fresh grass, and 

 other coarse materials, and often in very bleak and exposed 

 situations. Most commonly it is placed near the water, 

 but at times a long distance from thence, and high up — 

 say a hundred feet or more — on some rocky islet. She 

 lines it witli a quantity of the soft and elastic down from 

 her own body ; and at the end of April, or beginning of 

 May, lays from five to six eggs, of a pale green colour. 



