EXPEDITION TO POINT HARROW, ALASKA. 119 



P.irds, however, that have bred, judging from the looks of the o\:u -ics, begin to cc.mc back 

 from tlic first to the middle of .July, appearing especially at IVr^niak and living MI small parties; 

 up and down the coast. They generally keep to themselves, but are sometimes found assiciuliujj 

 with .small parties of King-ducks. 



When the open water forms along shore, that is. in (lie hitter part of .Inly and early part of 

 August, they are to lie found in large Hocks along the bench, collecting in " beds " at a safe, dis- 

 tance from the shore, feeding on marine invertebrates, especially gepliryeaii worms. These tlocks 

 consist almost exclusively of molting females, whose ovaries show that they have bred. Tim 

 males appear to undergo a fall change of plumage like the other eiders, gradualh putting on the 

 brown dress of the females. We were, however, unable to secure any specimens to illustrate this 

 change. 



They disappear from the first to the middle of August, and when gathered in large tlocks arc 

 exceedingly wild and hard to approach. 



Though less abundant in the early part of the season of 1883 than they had been in ISSL', they 

 were, OH the other hand, much more plenty after the sea opened, and staid considerably later. 



626. LAMPRONETTA FISCHERI Brandt. 



SPECTACLED EIDER (Ka'mtso; STutitlu; 9 I'u'l-qlttlu). 



This species has not been previously noted north of Bering Straits, but we found it to be a, 

 regular though rather rare summer visitor in the vicinity of 1'oiut Harrow. They evidently breed 

 not far from the station, as a female was taken .June 19. 1S8.">, with an egg in the oviduct just ready 

 for laying. 



They arrive towards the end of the great spring migrations of eiders, as has been observed at 

 Saint Michael's, in company with the King-ducks and Pacific Eiders, and are occasionally to bo 

 seen in pairs and small parties on the tundra, especially on the wetter portions back of the beach 

 lagoons. 



They were not observed either season in the fall migrations. The young, about three-fourths 

 grown, were taken August lM, 1.SS3, and had the eye-patches even then distinctly indicated. 



The male in the breeding season has the green feathers of the back of the head developed 

 into a decided nuchal crest, which I do not find mentioned in any of the published descriptions of 

 the species. 



I found the iris of the female white, and not hazel or blue as has been stated by other observers. 

 This character is possibly variable. 



628. SOMATERIA V-NIGRA Gray. 

 PACIFIC EIDER ( S Amau'lin ; 9 Ten (jalit'ldun). 



This species appears to be decidedly less plenty than the succeeding, although it is often diffi- 

 cult to distinguish them, as during the great migrations they frequently associate in large mixed 

 flocks, so that one shot may bring down birds of both species. 



They arrive later than the King Eiders, not appearing before the middle of May, after which 

 time they are to be taken in every tlight, gradually increasing in numbers. Towards the end of 

 the migrations there are occasional days when the flocks seem to be made up almost exclusively of 

 this species. A few small parties are also to be seen loitering around the lagoons, and open pools 

 in the shore ice towards the cud of June. 



During the migrations, they are exceedingly fat and excellent eating. In the autumn they 

 associate with the King Eiders, following the same course at Elson May. and frequently sitting in 

 good-sixed parties close to the shore. 



Towards the end of the fall migrations, the change to the fall plumage in the males is pretty 

 well marked. This change of plumage has been noted in this species by Mr. Dall, but beyond his 

 short note, I can find no reference to the change in any history of the species. Unfortunately, no 

 specimens were secured to illustrate this. 



