THE EIDER DUCK. 347 



the middle of the distal part, and a bar of the same across 

 the tip ; irides red, feet slate grey, with a reddish tinge on 

 the tarsi and toes when recent. Front, cheeks, and sides of 

 the neck, greyish brown ; crown and nape cream colour, the 

 former tufted ; a black patch on each side of the neck ; lower 

 part of the breast, back, and wings, black ; scapulars and 

 lesser coverts bluish white, produced and dependent partially 

 over the wings. Throat and front of the neck white, extend- 

 ing a short way on the back at each side ; sides and belly 

 white, nearly meeting at the rump ; tail of fourteen feathers, 

 all pointed, the two middle ones three inches, longer than the 

 rest ; they and one on each side black, the rest dull white. 

 The female is smaller, and wants the produced feathers in the 

 tail and over the wings ; has the top of the head and spot on 

 the neck dusky, the upper part of the neck white, the lower 

 reddish brown, with white spots ; the general colour of the 

 upper part rusty, with some mottlings ; the under part pure 

 white. The plumage is very close, and the down pure and 

 elastic. 



THE EIDER DUCK (Somateria mollissima). 



One of the most distinguishing characters of the eiders is 

 the base of the bill prolonged in two flat plates on the sides 

 of the forehead, and the mandibles diminishing in breadth 

 towards the point. They are also among the largest of 

 the duck tribe, soft in their appearance, and gentle in their 

 manners. 



A figure of the male of the common eider is given on the 

 plate opposite, which will render description unnecessary. 

 The female is much smaller than the male, has the plates of 

 the bill not so far produced on the forehead, and wants 

 the pendent feathers that hang over the wings. The colour 

 is a pale yellowish brown, mottled with lighter and with 

 black ; the wings dusky, with rust -coloured edges and 



