134 



ANATID^E. 



Stelleri, in honour of Geo. Wilh. Steller, who first discovered the bird in 

 Kamtchatka, 1741-42. 



Two specimens have been obtained on the east coast of 

 England. It inhabits the Northern Palsearctic and North- 

 western Nearctic Regions. 



Genus SOMATERIA, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 564. 



Somateria from <rw/ia, genit. crw/jaros, the body, and ep to v wool, which 

 its breast supplies in the breeding-season. * "?' 



Somateria mollissima. EIDEE DUCK. 



Anas mollissima, Linnaus, S. N. i. p. 198 (1766). 



Somateria mollissima, Macg. v. p. 147 ; Hewitson, p. 414 ; 



Gray, p. 205 ; Yarr. ed. 2, iii. p. 297 ; id. ed. 3, iii. 



p. 298; Gould, v. pi. 26; Harting. p. 67; Dresser, vi. 



p. 629. 



Anas mollissima, Naum. xii. p. 252. 

 The Eider Duck, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 201. 



Mollissima, superlative of mollis = soft. 



The Eider Duck breeds from the Fern Islands northwards, 

 and occurs sparingly in winter on the coasts of the United 

 Kingdom. It inhabits the north-western portions of the 

 Palsearctic Region. 



Somateria spectabilis. KING EIDEE. 



Anas spectabilis, Lmn&us, S. N. i. p. 195 (1766) . 



Somateria spectabilis, Macg. v. p. 158; Hewitson, p. 417; 



Gray, p. 206 ; Yarr. ed. 2, iii. p. 308 ; id. ed. 3, iii. 



p. 310 ; Gould, v. pi. 27 ; Harting, p. 163 ; Dresser, vi. 



p. 643. 



Anas spectabilis, Naum. xii. p. 285. 

 The King Duck, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 211. 



Spectabilis = worth seeing ; from specto = I watch, frequentative of speclo = 

 I look at. 



A rare straggler to the British Islands, occurring most 



