350 EIDER DUCK. 



guarding against their enemy man. The velocity of their flight has 

 been ascertained to be about eighty miles in the hour. 



This species dives with great agility, and can remain a considerable 

 time under water, often going down in search of food to the depth of 

 eight or ten fathoms, or even more. When wounded, however, they soon 

 become fatigued in consequence of the exertion used in diving, and may 

 be overtaken by a well-manned boat in the course of half an hour or so, 

 as when fatigued they swim just below the surface, and may be struck 

 dead with an oar or a boat-hook. 



Their food consists principally of shell-fish, the shells of which they 

 seem to have the power of breaking into pieces. In many individuals 

 which I opened, I found the entrails almost filled with small fragments 

 of shells mixed with other matter. Crustaceous animals and their roe, 

 as well as that of various fishes, I also found in their stomach, along with 

 pebbles sometimes as large as a hazel nut. The oesophagus, which is in 

 form like a bag, and is of a leathery firm consistence, was often found 

 distended with food, and usually emitted a very disagreeable fishy odour. 

 The gizzard is extremely large and muscular. The trachea of the young 

 male, so long as it remains in its imperfect plumage, or for the first twelve 

 months, does not resemble that of the old male ; but on this subject I 

 intend to speak at length on another occasion. The males do not obtain 

 their full pluxnage until the fourth winter. They at first resemble the 

 mother, then gradually become pie-bald, but not in less time than be- 

 tween two and three years. 



The Eider Duck takes a heavy shot, and is more easily killed on 

 wing than while swimming. When on shore they mark your approach 

 while you are yet at a good distance, and fly ofF before you come within 

 shot. Sometimes you may surprise them while swimming below high 

 rocks and, if you are expert, then shoot them ; but when they have first 

 seen you, it is seldom that you can procure them, as they dive with ex- 

 treme agility. While at Great Macatina Harbour, we discovered a large 

 basin of water, communicating with the sea by a very narrow passage 

 about thirty yards across, and observed that at particular stages of the 

 tides the Eider Ducks entered and returned by it. By hiding ourselves 

 on both sides of this channel, we succeeded in killing a good number, but 

 rarely more than one at a shot, although sometimes we obtained from a 

 single file as many as we had of gun-barrels. 



Excepting in a single nest, I found no down clean, it having been in 



