Tin nrcK. 61 1 



this <lo\vn m:iy U- .-rowd.-d into a hill n larger than one's fist, yet In afterwards so dilatable 



a> t.. till :i T iilt i.f th.- f.-ei square. This l>u,-k reaches tin- farthest limits of tin- north 

 known." Tin- most southern limit is said to huve been the nx-ks about I'ortlund liurlN.r. 

 Maim-. 



Tin- Kill. -r is ;i lariT'- bird f"i :i lu.-k. U-in.: stout, -r than some pete. It* length is two feet 

 three in< 'ln's, ami extent of win^s thn-e f.--t. Its weight is from .six to seven ]N.unds. It 

 flesh is n.. i es|,.,.ined. ;is it is;ilwa\s tis|i\ in flavor. 



As lati- two F.i.l. -is were shot in Ixui^ Island Sound 



In Wilson's time ill.- Ki.l. -is l>n-d fn.ni H..st,,ii to Hay of Kundy. "In the latter part of 

 th.- fall of isiKt they were seen in considerable numl>ers in Hoston Bay." Aririi<>N. Tin- latter 

 author vouches for the fact that the young Eiders are sometimes taken by the bill of the old 

 on** and transported to the sea, some little distance from the nest. 



Tin KIM. Kinii: (Somateria spcctabilis) inhabit* tin- northern j .oil ions of America and 

 Kuni|e. i-hii-tly < nastwin. It reaches New Jersey southward, ami in tin- interior to Lake 

 Krif. Ii> hiu'h ami richly oninp'-colored U])]MT bill ^iv-s this binl a stmni:, ilistim-tiv*- mark. 

 Tin- ft-malf is plain .-ntin-ly, lik.- the fi-iii:il- of th- pns-Nlinir. lint smalh-r. Alxnt th.- lii>t of 

 this (-.'111111 \ this liird was abntiilant in Massaohus,-tts Hay. ami l.n-<l alony tin* New Kn^land 

 coast. Thf Kinj; Dm-k, as ihis is i-jilLnl. is rfpirditl iuse<iimlly valnaltlc for its down, (tcniud, 

 in his Hi ii Is of I/.iiir Island." stat.-s that tin- youii^ of this binl, during winter, are occasion- 

 ally .seen at Kjg: Harbor, as w.-ll a .s on tin- shon-s of I>.in; Island, and that an adult male wa 

 shot in l/onir Island Sound in 1. 



This rare bird is al>out th- -\/>- ( the <-oinmoii Kid.-r, and is m.tal.lt; for its black and 

 \vhit Ixnly, and the li^lit-n-d l-ak and legs. 



PACIFIC EIDER (Smnattria v. nitjra) in murh like the latt-r, but lias the V-shaped mark 



in black under the chin. 



Si'H i \< i.i i> Kinii: /.' ,'. ,."..',,,/,,,, This ! kaown only on the northwest coast. 

 It has ;i I. rad. white spare around the eye, ivs>iiiblim; in t<-xturecut vt-h.-t ; this is surrounded 

 by a ring of Mack, which oida in giving an aspect of teing s{)ectucled. This is a very inter- 

 esting species, and quite rare. 



AMI 1:1. \\ SCOTEK >tK/'//,i'i <m,< rii-iinn}, or VKI.VCT DITK. It inhabits l>oth the Atlantic 

 and 1'aci tic coasts, and the jjrwit inland waters. It is a very Ixiiutiful bird; is jet-black in 

 plunia^.-. \.-lv.-ty in ap|)eanin<-e. and has a rich onin^e jiatch on the uji|-r inamliMe of the bill. 

 Tin- female is quite plain brown. In Audubon'H day they wen- extremely abundant alxxit 

 Boston, New York, and on the Jersey coast less so southward. 



TIIE AMERICAW VELVET SCOTER (M<I<in,fl<t r,lr,(in<t \ inhabits Europe and America. It is 

 mostly maritime, but visits the great lakes. This beautiful duck apfiears on the Chesapeake 

 with other species, and in considerable numU-rs in Atidubon's day. We have seen a few 

 during the winter months on the coast around Massachusetts Bay, bnt it is now quite rare. It 

 is of a jet velvety black, with a large patch of white on its secondary feathers, and a patch of 

 white around the eyes. The bill has an orange and a lemon-colored portion. The female is 

 marked somewhat similarly, but in umber instead of black. 



This bird is called by the sportsmen of New England. White-winged Whistler, or White- 

 uinged Coot. Its flesh is not esteemed, l>eing like that of many other maritime birds, fishy 

 and coarse. Gerand says it is "extremely abundant on the Long Island Sound during the 

 winter, arriving about the first of October." Kidgway, in the "Smithsonian Catalogue," 

 Motions two species the present, and M.futca. 



TIIK SrKF DUCK (Pdionetta pertpiciUata). This is also called Coot. It inhabits North 

 America coastwise, and Jamaica. A variety is s.-eu in California. Its plumage is block and 



