The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. ЮЗ 



King-Eider. Somateria spectabilis L. 



Rather common and nesting at least quite as frequently as S. 

 mollissima. In the fresh waters at the ship's-harbour, Stormkap, 

 Snenæs and a part of Hvalrosodden I met with several couples of 

 nesting King-Eiders. 



The majority of my observations regarding this species are 

 therefore taken at these places. 



The King-Eider became decidedly more common in higher lati- 

 tudes. Koch and Bertelsen saw at Mallemukfjeldet June 9^^ and 

 10*h 1907 a great many of them. The birds were lying in flocks 

 on the open water near the coast and on the edge of the ice. The 

 males were all in full nuptial plumage. Many individuals of both 

 sexes were shot and eaten. From here no S. mollissima was recorded. 



During the navigation through the pack-ice I observed August 

 14'*^ 1906 in lat. 77° n. an old female, which came flying, and took 

 the water near the ship and tried for a while to follow it swimming. 



On the arrival of the expedition at the ships-harbour on August 

 17"^ several females, accompanied by their still downy young ones, 

 were lying in the small openings in the ice. 



Three days later I met with 5 broods of ducklings at the mouth 

 of Stormelven; one of these broods was scarcely one week old. 

 These broods all contained 5 ducklings — in one case 6 were seen. 



The old birds behaved very anxiously when I approached and 

 swam grunting around quite near me and the coast, while the 

 young ones with a surprising rapidity moved outwards swimming 

 and diving till they at last disappeared far out in the bay. 



Not far from the mouth of the river I found a pair of nests 

 on the slopes of the low rocks by the coast. The fresh down and 

 egg-shells proved, that they had lately been inhabited. 



Dr. Lindhard observed August 16'^ by Кар Marie Valdemar a 

 pale coloured female accompanied by a male in normal nuptial 

 plumage. 



In 1906 the last bird was seen September 8"\ 



The King-Eider appeared the next summer on Stormkap June 

 10*^. The same day a few couples were seen in the lakes at the 

 ship's-harbour. 



All the King-Eiders appeared in couples, though they no more 

 than other swimmers nested that summer. Though they often 

 gathered in small flocks, there were always just as many females 

 as males. The King-Eiders appeared in even the smallest ponds of 

 melted snow and their surprising fearlessness made it possible for 

 me to observe them at quite short distance. 



