PACIFIC EIDER. 



PROM the Peninsula of Alaska, as far west as Attu 

 of the Aleutian Islands, throughout the islands of 

 Behring Sea, along the coast of Alaska to the Arctic 

 Ocean, and eastward to the Coppermine River, is ap- 

 parently the distribution of this species in the far north- 

 ern region in which it finds its home. The principal 

 breeding resorts are the islands of Behring Sea, although 

 the birds nest also in great numbers in various other 

 places. The habits are very similar to those of the Com- 

 mon and American Eiders, with the exception that this 

 Duck does not breed in colonies. 



Pretty much all that is known of the habits and 

 economy of this fine bird is related by Dall, Nelson, and 

 Turner, whose long residence in the bleak northwest 

 afforded them ample opportunities for observing this 

 Duck in its haunts. According to their reports the 

 Pacific Eiders begin to approach the shores off the 

 mouth of the Yukon River, if the ice permits, from the 

 loth to the 2Oth of May and proceed to choose the sites 

 for their nests, the ponds and creeks in the marshes being 

 at that time open. There does not seem to be any 

 especial manifestation of affection during the courtship, 

 all the preliminaries having probably been gone through 

 with at sea, previous to the arrival of the mated 

 birds near the shore. They come in small flocks, 

 which break up into pairs, each couple resorting 

 to the salt marshes. A moss-grown slope, a grassy 

 tussock, or a depression made in the ground in 



