76 Bird-Life in Labrador. 



weed, such as may be obtained in the shallow basins of accu- 

 mulated debris, and on the " land wash," as the land washed 

 by the tide is here called. In Summer the ducks breed in 

 large numbers on the islands about the harbors, and though 

 their numbers are fast decreasing there are still colonies of 

 them, making their nests of down from their own breasts, be- 

 neath some overhanging grassy clump, and laying from three 

 to five olive-colored eggs. The people here will rob the nests 

 several successive times during a season, while the female con- 

 tinues to lay eggs in the hope of securing enough to hatch her 

 brood. When setting, the eider duck remains upon her nest 

 until the very last moment, then takes a forced rapid Might 

 and does not appear again until the intruder has disappeared. 

 To what extent the males assist the femaK s in the matter of 

 incubation I did not succeed in learning with any degree of 

 certainty. I do not doubt but that they do so to a limited 

 extent. They remain upon the coast until the bays are 

 finally frozen, and are then seen no more until Spring returns 

 and the ice thaws once again, when they appear in large 

 flocks in company with the king eider or" king bird " as it is 

 called. The eggs of the eider duck are everywhere eaten and 

 are regarded as of very fine flavor. The females and young 

 birds differ greatly in the " heat" of their plumage, some 

 having nearly or quite every feather covered with a deep 

 fringe of warm chestnut 



KING EIDER DUCK 



Sonuitcria spectabi/is. (L.) BOIE. 



CALLED also, by the natives, the "king bird." This is 

 the " passing" duck in distinction from the common eider or 

 "laying" duck. It passes up and down the coast but does 

 not remain to breed, excepting in rare instances. Its occur- 

 rence is .thus mentioned in my note : Abundant in Spring in 

 large flocks. I shot a great many of them. It is said to 

 breed in this region occasionally. In the Canadian hportx- 



