460 EIDER DUCK. 
larger species, Somateria v-nigrum, the male of which has a black 
chevron under the chin. A form distinguished as S. moélissima 
borealis inhabits Greenland up to lat. 81° N., and goes westward as 
far as the Coppermine River in Arctic America; while in Southern 
Labrador, and down to the Delaware in winter, is found 5S. dressert, 
Sharpe, which has the bare space near the base of the bill rounded 
rather than triangular, and the sides of the crown greener; an 
example of this form, obtained by Mr. T. M. Pike in Holland, is in 
Mr. Hart’s museum at Christchurch, Hants. In winter our Eider 
occurs irregularly on the coasts of Europe, and exceptionally as far 
south as the Adriatic and other portions of the Mediterranean ; 
occasionally on inland waters. 
The nest is usually among coarse herbage on low islands at no 
great distance from water ; but it has occasionally been found a mile 
or even more inland, and also at upwards of 1,000 feet above sea- 
level. The materials are grasses, fine sea-weed, and sometimes 
heather, while during incubation, which lasts about 28 days, the. 
celebrated down is gradually added. The duck, when disturbed, 
squirts a stinking liquid over her eggs; these, 5-8 in number, vary 
from greenish-grey to bright green: measurements 3 in. by 2 in. 
Towards the end of May, when the ducks begin to sit, the drakes 
leave them and form small parties. The food, obtained by 
diving, consists of mussels—some of which, swallowed entire, are 
23 in. in length—crustaceans, and sea-weed ; while, in confinement, 
worms, slugs and the raw flesh of other birds are freely eaten. 
Several broods have been hatched in the Zoological Gardens. 
The adult male in very early spring has the bill greenish; down 
its centre haifway to the nostrils there reaches a wedge of black 
feathers, like those of the sides of the bill, forehead and crown, 
the last being bisected by a white line running to the pale green 
nape and divided by another white line from a green patch on each 
side of the neck ; cheeks, back and wing-coverts white ; long sickle- 
shaped secondaries yellowish-white ; quills, rump and tail nearly 
black, with a patch of white on each side of the last; breast rosy- 
buff; belly black; legs and toes dull green. In summer the white 
feathers are shed, and the back becomes nearly black. Length 
23 in.; wing 11 in. The female is chiefly buff with dark bars, but 
is very ruddy in first plumage ; quills and tail-feathers dull black. 
The front figure in the wood-cut represents an old male, and an 
immature bird of the same sex is in the background. The male 
does not attain full plumage until the third spring. 
