128 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS. 



While all breathless and silent crept softly delight 

 To listen with day to the Songster of Night : 



and found in the nest, is most valued ; that which is plucked from 

 jhe dead bird is little esteemed. — Eider Down is imported 

 chiefly from Iceland and other northern countries. It is col- 

 lected from the nests of the birds ; if tlie nest be deprived of 

 its down, the female takes a fresh quantity from her breast ; but 

 if the nest be a second time deprived of its down, she cannot 

 supply it, the male then takes from his breaift the necessary 

 lining. As incubation proceed?, the lining of down increases 

 from day to day, and at last becomes so considerable in quan- 

 tity, as to envelope and entirely conceal \h€ eggs from view. 

 The young, as soon as hatched, are conducted to the water, to 

 which, sometimes from the situation of the nest, they are car- 

 ried in the bill of the parent bird. The food of the eider-duck 

 is muscles and other bivalve shell-fish. This bird is with diffi- 

 culty reared in confinement, Selby, in Zoological Journal, 

 vol. 3, page 458. 



Of the Clypeala, or Shoveler, there are many varieties 

 found in Europe, Asia, and America; it is about (wenty-one 

 inches long. — The Clanguluj or Golden-eye, is varied with 

 black and white, head tumid violet ; length about nineteen 

 inches; inhabits as the last; found on the sea coasts of this 

 country in the winter. — The Ferina, Pochard, Dunbird, Pokefy 

 or R(d-headed Widgeon^ is found as the last ; length nearly that 

 of the golden-eye: colours varied, black, white, andgiey; 

 flesh good ; frequent in the London market in the winter. 



The Crecea, Teal or Common Ttal, inhabits Europe and Asia, 

 and is well known in the marshy districts &f this country ; it 

 breeds in Norfolk and most probably in other places of Great 

 Britain ; length fourteen inches ; three varieties. Flesh good. 

 The Penelope J Widgeon, Wheicer, or ffAiw, is foui.d in most 

 parts of Europe, breeds in the Northern regions, and visits 

 England in the autumn ; length twenty inches; it weighs about 



