400 mr. a. newton on rare birds* eggs. [dec. 10, 



Steller's Duck. 



Somateria stelleri (Pall.). PI. XXXIX. fig. 4. 



To the same kind friend, Dr. Baldamus, I owe the opportunity 

 of exhibiting the egg of this bird, which is one that he received from 

 Von MiddendoriF, who states (' Sib. Reise,' II. ii. pp. 234, 235) that 

 he discovered it breeding pretty commonly on the flat "tundras" of 

 the Taimyr. On the 25th June the nests found contained from seven 

 to nine newly-laid eggs, of which he gives in his work representa- 

 tions of three specimens (tab. 23. figs. 3-5). 



I may perhaps be allowed to add that, towards the end of June 

 and in July 1855, when in East Finraark in company with Mr. W. 

 H. Simpson and the late Mr. John Wolley, we saw several small 

 flocks of this species at various places along the Waranger Fjord, 

 but we could never detect an old male in the breeding-plumage ; and 

 I imagine that it is seldom that one is to be found there in summer, 

 though in winter and spring adults certainly occur, as we not only 

 learned from the inhabitants, but as may be seen from the account 

 given by Herr Schrader (' Journ. f. Orn.' 1853, pp. 320, 321). Mr. 

 Wolley succeeded in shooting three birds, which I myself dissected ; 

 and the figures of the trachea of this species, given by Mr. Yarrell 

 in the last edition of his work (* B. B.' 3rd ed. iii. p. 309) are taken 

 from the specimens I then prepared ; but unfortunately, the engraver 

 having omitted to reverse the drawings placed in his hands, the re- 

 presentations are in this particular inaccurate. These examples were 

 apparently all young ones of the preceding year ; but as the trachea 

 of the Eider {Somateria mollissima, Boie), when immature, does not 

 differ from that of the adult, I think we may safely infer that these 

 present the same appearance that they would have done had the 

 subjects been older. Though we made unceasing inquiries, we could 

 not ascertain that Steller's Duck breeds in any part of Norway or in 

 the adjoining districts of Russia. In its habits it seems to resemble 

 the common Eider, as much as it does in general appearance ; and 

 those I saw were only to be distinguished, at a distance, from the fe- 

 males or young males of that species by their smaller size. They were 

 generally found swimming near the shore, or sitting at low water on 

 the sea-weed-covered rocks, or flying near the surface from point to 

 point. On one occasion, just as we had crossed a small but rapid 

 river a few hundred yards from its mouth, a large flock came flying 

 down over the water. They passed quite close to us, but our guns 

 were not at hand. I presume they had been feeding higher up the 

 stream ; but at no other time did I ever see them at any distance 

 from the shore. 



Ivory Gull. 



Pagophila eburnea, Kaup. 



I obtained this egg also from Dr. Baldamus, who procured it from 

 the late Apothecary Mechlenburg of Flensborg, with the informa- 

 tion that it was brought to him from Spitzbergen. In that distant 

 island, I believe, no other species exists which is likely to lay an egg 



