614 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Kamtschatka. It winters in the Sea of Ochotsk, and a few, probably 

 young birds not yet breeding, remain throughout the year on the shores 

 of the Kurile Islands. Middendorff found it breeding on the Taimur 

 peninsula, whence it migrates in winter, when the Arctic Ocean freezes, to 

 the Varanger fjord, where the influence of the Gulf-stream secures open 

 water throughout the year. Immature birds remain during the summer 

 in this locality, and adult birds are said occasionally to remain to breed. 

 It appears as if some individuals migrate across country to the Baltic, 

 where it has repeatedly occurred. It has twice been recorded from Den- 

 mark, occasionally from North Germany, and once from France. It is 

 not known to have occurred on the mainland of Alaska ; but it is possible 

 that its range extends along the American shores of the Arctic Ocean, as 

 Mr. Kumlien says that he saw an example shot near Disco, and observed 

 several in Cumberland Bay, in Davis Strait. These statements must, 

 however, be accepted with some reserve, as Mr. Kumlien has not always 

 been correct in his identifications. It has no very near ally. 



Of the habits of Steller's Eider scarcely anything is known. Midden- 

 dorff found it breeding on the tundras, and obtained eggs on the 7th of 

 July. The nests were very deep in the moss, and contained from seven 

 to nine fresh eggs and abundance of down. The females sat very close, 

 and rose from the nest with a cry resembling that of the Teal, but more 

 of a rattle. The males were not far off. Except during the breeding- 

 season, Steller's Duck is gregarious, and in the Varanger fjord flocks of 

 non-breeding birds are seen during the summer. It is said to be a very 

 shy bird and to forsake its nest if disturbed. It is essentially a marine 

 duck, and is supposed to feed principally on shell-fish. 



The eggs obtained by Middendorff are pale huffish green, and vary in 

 length from 2'5 to 2'2 inch, and in breadth from 1'6 to 1*5 inch. Small 

 eggs of Steller's Eider are indistinguishable from large eggs of the Pintail. 

 Steller's Duck is about the size of the Wigeon. The adult male in 

 nuptial plumage has a black ring round the neck, glossed with green and 

 purple, connected with the base of the under mandible by a black band, 

 nearly interrupted by white between the throat and the fore neck, and 

 extending on the upper parts between the scapulars down the back to the 

 upper tail-coverts, where the brownish-black tail connects it with the black 

 under tail-coverts and the dark brown centre of the breast and belly; a 

 black ring round the eye, two conspicuous spots on the sides of the breast, 

 and the outer webs of the elongated and falcated scapulars and innermost 

 secondaries complete the glossy black of the plumage, leaving the rest 

 white, except an emerald-green spot on the lores and a broad one on the 

 occiput of the same colour, the huffish-chestnut breast and sides of the 

 body, and the dark brown primaries and the purple-blue speculum. Bill 

 dark slate-grey, paler on the nail; legs and feet greyish brown; irides 



