OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 431 



usual haunts to the nearest open water. The adults probably live in pairs 

 through the summer, but immature individuals remain in parties at that 

 period ; whilst in autumn both old and young become more or less gregarious. 

 Dr. Stejneger found this Duck very common during winter on Behring Island. 

 They made their appearance in large flocks about the first of November, remain- 

 ing about the rockiest parts of the coast where the breakers were most violent. 

 In spring, especially during April, the number of Steller's Eider greatly increased, 

 and immense flocks covering many acres were watched floating on the sea within 

 half-a-mile of the shore. Towards the end of April their numbers perceptibly 

 decreased ; by the end of the month but few remained, and none were remarked 

 after about the 25th of May. During its winter sojourn here Dr. Stejneger found 

 it to be, next to the Golden-eye, the shyest of all the Duck tribe. The adult 

 males generally keep apart from the adult females and young males, and, as is 

 usual they did not as a rule, come so near to the land. It is interesting to remark 

 that Dr. Stejneger found the females of this Duck in full moult at the end of 

 April while the males were not in such condition, and at that date not a single 

 young male among many thousands observed showed even a trace of new white 

 plumage. The food of this Eider is not known to differ from that of allied species, 

 and is obtained in a similar manner. Its note is undescribed, but Von Middendorff 

 states that the female when flying from the nest uttered a rattling cry. 



Nidification. The only particulars concerning the breeding habits of 

 Steller's Eider, obtained from personal observation, appear to be those published 

 by Von Middendorff, who met with this Duck breeding in some numbers on the 

 Taimur Peninsula, the most northerly continental land on the entire globe. The 

 eggs are apparently laid early in July, or at the very end of June. The nests 

 were made on the tundra, and were merely deep hollows in the moss-clothed 

 ground, lined with quantities of down plucked from the breast of the females. 

 The eggs range from seven to nine in number, and are pale huffish-green in 

 colour, smooth, but with little gloss. They measure on an average 2'35 inches 

 in length by 1'55 inch in breadth. The down tufts are apparently undescribed. 

 But one brood is reared in the year. The females are said to sit closely, and, as 

 is usual with the Eiders, the drakes swim about in the neighbourhood of the 

 nests, and probably join their mates when they leave the eggs and retire to the 

 water to feed. 



Diagnostic characters. (Nuptial plumage), Heniconetta, with the 

 back black and the falcated scapulars white on the inner and bluish-black on the 

 outer webs (adult male) ; with the alar speculum purplish-blue, enclosed between 

 two white bars (adult female). Length, 18 to 20 inches. 



