J70 COMMON EIDER. 



The plumage of the head is short and soft ; the 

 forehead and sides of the head, running in a line 

 with the lower part of the eyes, and terminating in 

 a narrow point opposite the nostrils, rich bluish 

 black, having in some lights a deep bluish tint ; 

 this is divided on the crown from the line of the 

 eyes backwards by a narrow line of greenish white ; 

 the occiput and sides of the neck, with a large 

 patch rounded inferiorly pistachio green, the fea- 

 thers being rather long and stiff, capable of being 

 raised at will; the checks, neck, back and sides 

 of the rump, pure white ; breast, rich cream-yel- 

 low; the wings above the greater covers, scapu- 

 lars, and tertials white, tinted with straw-yellow ; 

 the latter loose in their webs, and curved over the 

 wing ; the rump and upper tail-covers, belly, vent, 

 and under tail-covers, black ; the greater wing, 

 covers short and black ; secondaries blackish brown ; 

 quills and tail greyish brown ; bill and legs greenish 

 yellow. The female has the general colouring of 

 the plumage yellowish brown, on the head and neck 

 streaked with blackish brown; on the back and 

 upper parts, the greater portion of the feathers is 

 blackish brown, tipped and cut into on the sides 

 with yellowish brown ; on the under parts the fea- 

 thers are trans versed with broad bars of the dark 

 colour, which become indistinct in the centre of 

 the belly and vent ; on the wing-covers the pale 

 markings are more rufous in colour; the greater 

 covers are tipped with white. 



Among the small parties on our shores, man/ 



