652 



East Finmark 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 Varanger 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 

 representations 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 that 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 females 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 distanoe from 

 the shore." 



Since, however, the above statements were published, Steller's Duck has been found breeding 

 on the Varanger Fjord, as Professor Newton has sent us the copy of a letter from Mr. Schanke, 

 stating that he had sent a couple of eggs, with the down from a nest of this bird, from Vardo, to 

 be placed in the British Museum. 



Pastor Sommerfeldt, who resided on the Varanger Fjord, has published the following 

 interesting account of Steller's Duck : — 



"It is found here throughout the year, particularly towards the spring, up in the fjords, but 

 in the summer more frequently in the direction of Vardo, as, for instance, on the Skal and 

 Komage rivers. Its eggs are never found here, but I have heard from Lapps who have been 

 fishing on these rivers during the summer, that the bird is supposed to breed there. I have also 

 heard it stated that it breeds to the eastward in Russian Finmark. That this bird's eggs are 

 brought commonly by Russian fishermen and skippers to the traders at Vardo and Vatso must, 

 however, be most emphatically denied ; and Schrader's statement may probably be founded on 

 what has often been named to me, viz. that a Russian is said to have once brought eggs to Vardo, 

 which he stated, and Schrader acknowledged, to be those of Anas stelleri. Nordvi, in particular, 

 has had every year a good opportunity of seeing quantities of the eggs the Russians bring ; but 

 these eggs have been, almost without exception, those of Laridce, Mergus serrator, Mormon 

 fratercula, Anas mollissima, TJria grylle, and different kinds of Terns. I do not deny that it 

 breeds either in East Finmark or Russian Finmark, but if so it is very rarely or in single 



