EIDER DUCK. 171 
EIDER DUCK. 
SoMATERIA MOLLISsIMA, Linn. 
Pl. XXVI., fig. 4. 
Geogr. distr.—Common in the Western Palearctic Region, less so in 
the Eastern portion. In Great Britain it occurs in the Hebrides, 
Farn, Orkney, and Shetland Islands, also on the coasts of Scotland 
and Northumberland, 
Food.—Seaweed, Mollusca, Crustacea, and fish. 
Nest.—A mere depression in the ground, lined with fine seaweed or 
dried grass, down, heather, or small twigs. 
Position of nest.—Usually amongst heather or nettles, under a 
large stone or juniper bush. 
Number of eggs.—5-10, or even more. 
Time of nidification.—VI. 
Mr. Harting says that Hider Ducks ‘are very common 
round Mull and Iona, and on the shores of North and 
South Uist, Benbecula, and Lewis, and numbers breed 
upon the islands in the Sound of Harris. The southern- 
most breeding station is believed to be Coquet Island.”’ 
Mr. Howard Saunders says :—‘“‘ Although the nest of the 
Hider is usually at no great distance from the water, it has 
occasionally been found a mile or two inland, and also at a 
considerable elevation.”—(Yarrell’s Hist. Brit. Birds, 
Ath ed., vol. iv., p. 459.) 
Major Feilden (‘ Zoologist,’ 1872, p. 8254) mentions 
having met with a nest of this duck in the Shetlands 
which was placed in the midst of knee-deep heather, at 
least five hundred feet above the sea level. 
This duck always covers up its eggs with grass and 
leaves before absenting itself from the nest; this is partly 
done, no doubt, to retain warmth in the eggs, but the 
principal object is obviously to conceal them from view. 
