THE TRUE EIDER DUCKS. 37 



THE TRUE EIDER DUCKS. GENUS SOMATERIA. 



Somakria, Leach, in Ross's Voy. Disc. App.p. xlviii. (18 1 9). 



Type, S. mollissima (Linn). 



In this genus the edges of the upper mandible are not bent 

 inwardly ; the lores are separated from the feathers of the fore- 

 head by a bare space ; the bill is rather narrow and pointed, 

 and the inner secondaries are slightly falcate, or sickle-shaped. 

 (Cf. Salvad. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 327). 



There are four species of True Eiders, of which Somaleria 

 drcsseri is North American ; S. v.-nigrum inhabits North-west- 

 ern America and North-eastern Asia; S.spectabilis, North-eastern 

 Europe and North America, occasionally visiting the British 

 Islands, in parts of which the Common Eider is a resident. 



I. THE COMMON EIDER DUCK. SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA. 



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



Soinateria mollissima^ Macg. Br. B. v. p. 147 (1852); Dresser, 



B. Eur. vi. p. 629, pi. 445 (1871) ; B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 



134 (1883) ; Saunders, ed, Yarr. Br. B. iv. p. 457 (1885)5 



Seebohm, Br. B. iii. p. 616 (1885); Saunders, Man. Br. 



B. p. 447 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part xxii. 



(1892); Salvad. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 425 (1895). 

 (Plate LXH.) 



Adult Male. General colour above pure white, including the 

 wing-coverts and scapulars and innermost secondaries, which 

 are sickle-shaped ; centre of the rump and upper tail-coverts 

 black ; tail blackish ; bastard-wing, primary and greater coverts, 

 and quills black, the latter with paler shafts ; the inner second- 

 aries with a good deal of white on the inner web, where they 

 adjoin the sickle- -haped feathers; crown of head velvety pur- 

 plish-black, this black extending below the eye and above the 

 lores along the bare portion of the mandible ; the hinder 

 crown divided by a broad streak of white, tinged with green ; 

 the nape and sides c-f the hind head behind the ear-coverts 

 green, with a white patch in the centre of the latter portion ; 

 entire sides of face and throat white, joining the white of 

 the hind-neck and mantle ; fore-neck and chest delicate pink, 

 the lower feathers fringed with black at the ends, where they 



