ANATIN^ — THE DUCKS — ENICONETTA. 



67 



tertials mostly dusky. Yn^mg male : Similar to the adult female, but speculum dusky grayish 

 brown, with little, if any, metallic gloss, the tertials but slightly curved, and with little or no 

 white. 



Total length, about 18.00 inches ; extent, 27.00 to 30.00; wing, 8.00-8.50 ; culmen, 1.40-1.4.0 ; 

 tarsus, 1.50; middle toe, 1.95. 



A supposed young male from Northern Europe (No. 5726G) corre; ponds with the description 

 given above, except that the throat is black, the occipital feathers stilleued, while white feathers 

 appear on the sides of the breast. 



This species was first described from specimens obtained by Steller in Kam- 

 tschatka, where it was said to breed upon rocks inaccessible to man. It appears to 

 be most abundant in the northern portions of Western America and Eastern Asia, 

 and in the intermediate islands. It is of occasional or accidental occui-rence in Great 

 Britain, where one was taken at Caistor, 

 Feb. 10, 1830, and another near Scarbor- 

 ough, Aug. 15, 1835. The former of these 

 was figured by Audubon. Three or four 

 were procured in Sweden, and another 

 in Denmark. Temminck states that this 

 Duck visits the eastern parts of Northern 

 EurojDe, and that it has occasionally Avan- 

 dered into Germany. Professor Blasius 

 records the capture of one on the Island of 

 Heligoland. It is also given by Midden- 

 dorff as having been found by him in the 

 Barrens of Northern Siberia. Mr. Wheel- 

 wright states that it appears to remain 

 during the whole year off Varanger Fiord, 

 near North Cape, where it most j)robably 

 breeds. It is only accidental in the other 

 parts of Scandinavia. A single specimen 

 was taken on the coast of France, between Calais and Boulogne, in February, 1855. 



Mr. Eobert Collett writes to Mr. Dresser that this Duck occurs annually on the 

 Lapland coast, where it is still to be seen during the summer, at the mouths of the 

 rivers, close to the sea, feeding on shellfish. In the " Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society " for 1861, Professor Newton figures an egg of this species, obtained by 

 Middendorff on the tundras of the Taimyr. On the 27th of June nests were found 

 containing from seven to nine newly laid eggs. Professor Newton also states that in 

 June and July, 1855, in East Finmark, he saw several small flocks of this species at 

 various places along the Varanger Fiord. Though he made unceasing inquiries, he 

 could not ascertain that it breeds in any part of Norway, or in the adjoining districts 

 of Eussia. In its habits it resembles the Common Eider. It was generally seen 

 swimming near the shore, or sitting, at low water, on the rocks covered by seaweed, 

 or flying near the surface from point to point. 



Since Professor Newton published this account, Mr. Schancke found Steller's 

 Duck breeding on the Varanger Fiord, and sent to the British JVluseum two of 

 its eggs with the down from a nest taken near Vardo. Pastor Sommerfeldt states 

 that this species is foand on the Varanger Fiord throughout the year, particularly 

 toward the spring ; and he was informed that it breeds to the eastward in Eussian 

 Finmark. 



Middendorff found it breeding and in abundance on the Taimyr Eiver, although 



Female. 



