The Zoologist — January, 1874. 3817 



to incubation, and the down to become easily detached from the 

 breast, why should the drake's down come out ? At Green Harbour, 

 on the 8th of September, Kidd and I saw families of eiders on the 

 water, which were all, both old and young alike, in the condition 

 of flappers incapable of flying.* 



Somateria spectahilis. (King Duck).— None were shot; but Lieut. 

 Chermside said he saw some at South Gat, Wiide Bay and Lomme 

 Bay. 



Colyvihus septentrionaiis (Redthroated Diver). — This species is 

 ot not infrequent occurrence in Wiide Bay, where we found it 

 breeding in lagoons and freshwater lakes. It occurred also in 

 Treurenberg Bay. The nest is usually placed in quite a shallow 

 place about a yard from the water's edge. It consists of a large 

 heap of moss fished up from the bottom, with a slight hollow on 

 the top, and no lining. In one nest I found a few leafy shoots of 

 cotton-grass {Eriophorum capitatum). Both of the nests taken by 

 me contained a couple of eggs; from a third a pair of young ones 

 swam away at my approach. 



Cephtis Mandti, Licht. (Mandt's Dovekie). — This dovekie is 

 a bird which is regardless of time and distance. No niche is too 

 high up in the clifi's, no cliff's too far from the shore, for a nest, in 

 its opinion. Provided it can get a comfortable crevice somewhere 

 for its eggs, it is contented. The situation may be two yards or two 

 miles from the waves, it makes no material diffierence to the bird. 

 He cannot well miss the way to it, for there is perpetual light; he 

 has only to fly long enough and far enough, and he is sure to get 

 there sooner or later. Some of their old breast-feathers are now 

 and then inhabited by colonies of a minute mite, which give them 

 the appearance of being blood-stained, with the dried blood nearly 

 rubbed out. 



Uria Brunnichi, Sabine (Brunnich's Guillemot).— No wild bird 

 can well be more indifferent than the loom to the presence of man. 

 You have only to shout at them when they are fishing, and make 

 as much noise as you can, if you wish to bring them within reach 

 of the oars. Captain Fairweather shot numbers of them from a 

 boat at this distance while I was with him. He was much 



* Professor Newton tells me that the Swedes have distinguished the Spitsbergen 

 from the Scandinavian eider ; and that this last has been separated from the North 

 American. He does not know whether the American differs from the Spitsbergen 

 form.— 4. E. E. 



