254 ANIBIALS IN MENAGERIES- 



foster-mother, in all probability, might be taught to 

 feed in the same way ; and with such noble preserves of 

 water as are at the Society's disposal in the royal parks, 

 these elegant creatures would have " ample room and 

 verge enough" for the full exercise of their diving and 

 swimming powers. 



The eider duck, in its natural state, is rarely ever 

 seen on the southern coasts of England, although 

 Montagu says it breeds in the north of Scotland and 

 the Fern Islands ; where, however, according to Mr. 

 Selby's later observations, they have of late years very 

 much decreased, in consequence of having been wan- 

 tonly molested during the breeding season. Coquet 

 Island, W'hich forms one of this small group, seems to 

 be the most southern breeding station of these birds. 

 On entering the arctic regions both of Europe and 

 America, they seem gradually to increase in number. 

 Dr, Richardson found them to be only partially migra- 

 tory in the Hudson Bay regions ; for the older birds 

 seldom moved further southward in winter than to 

 permanent open water ; but some of them go south, 

 and winter on the coast of New Jersey : he considers 

 them peculiarly sea ducks, as he has never seen them 

 in fresh water : this is not, however, conclusive autho- 

 rity, or, at least, is not sufficient to deter us from the 

 attempt to introduce them upon our canals or ponds. In 

 America, their most southerly range appears to be the 

 rocky islands beyond Portland, in the district of Maine ; 

 where a few pairs have been known to breed. In 

 Greenland and Iceland they seem to be very common ; 

 and they are occasionally seen so far south as the capes 

 of the Delaware. 



In Britain, the eiders which breed in the Fern Islands, 

 are seen assembling, about April, in small groups along 

 the shores of the main land, whence they cross over to 

 the islands in May; soon after which the females begin 

 to prepare their nests ; and they usually commence 

 laying about the 20th of this month: u-,)on this the 

 males leave the females, and again spread themselves 



