J 7 8 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



Alaska and about Unalashka, on the Aleutian chain, but there is no evidence of 

 its presence along the American coasts of the Arctic seas ; examples have, however, 

 been met with as far east as Cumberland Sound, Baffins-Land, on the southern 

 side of Davis Straits, probably an isolated colony. In 1878, an adult male was 

 shot in Disco Bay, North Greenland. 



Great flocks visit the open waters of the Varanger Fjord in winter.* It is 

 everywhere a strictly marine species, feeding on shell-fish and crustaceans. 



According to Professor Collett, it never breeds west of the Murram coast, 

 which is the north-west corner of Russia, between Norway and the White Sea. 

 This is scarcely correct as there are eggs in the British Museum taken near Vardo. 



Dr. A. Bunge found Steller's Eider in flocks, during the summer of 1866, on 

 the Great Liakoff Island, ten degrees east of the Lena delta, between 73 and 

 74 N. lat. 



Dr. Von Middendorff has recorded it abundant on the Taimyr Peninsula, and 

 nesting on the tundras. The Vega expedition brought back skins from Bering's 

 Straits. Elliott considers it can only be regarded as a rare straggler to the 

 Prybilov Islands. Great numbers appear to frequent the north coast of the Alaska 

 Peninsula in the summer, but it is not included by Adams in his list of " Birds 

 seen at Michalaski." Mr. E. W. Nelson, (" Cruise of the Coi-win "), says that on 

 the north coast of Siberia they found them excessively numerous. Considering 

 the absurd and fictitious value set by home collectors on an English killed 

 example of Steller's Eider, it is somewhat curious to hear of their extraordinary 

 abundance in these distant Arctic seas. Mr. Nelson says : " flocks of thousands 

 were found about Cape Wankarem during our stay there, the first of August, 

 1 88 1, and in company with an equal number of King-Eiders and a few of the 

 Pacific Eiders, were seen passing out and in each evening, to and from the large 

 estuary back of the native village. This village was built upon the spit, cutting 

 this estuary from the sea at this place, and lay directty in the track of flight 

 followed by these Eiders as they passed to and from the sea. As these flocks 

 passed back and forth the birds were being continually brought down by the 

 slings thrown into the midst of the passing birds by the natives ; yet notwith- 

 standing this, the birds continued from day to day the entire season to pass and 

 repass this place. Their heedlessness in this respect may be accounted for from 

 the fact that these people were without guns of any kind, and were thus unable 

 to frighten them by the noise of the discharge. The birds were easily called from 



* In August, 1896, I was four times over the waters of the Varanger Fjord, and to and fro in the Jar 

 Fjord, close to the Russian frontier, without meeting with Steller's Eider. It was probably too early in the 

 'season, although according to Pastor Sommerfeldt, of Naseby, it is seen all through the year in the Varanger. 



