KING EIDER. 329 



fire blank charges and hooting and yelling as loud as pos- 

 sible, drive the terrified birds into the cove at high-tide, 

 where the natives remain until the ebb. The Ducks are then 

 left grounded on the naked coast, and are thus easily de- 

 spatched with clubs. 



This Eider formerly nested on the islands in the Bay of Fundy, 

 but in recent years has not been known to breed to the southward 

 of the St, Lawrence, though it does not range north of Labrador 

 During the winter months it is found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 and along the Atlantic coast as far as Delaware. Examples are 

 seen occasionally on the Great Lakes. 



Mr. Thomas A. Jaggar, who visited Labrador in 1890, told me 

 that he found a number of the nests of this species, and that they 

 invariably contained four eggs. 



NORTHERN EIDER. 



SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA BOREALIS. 



Char. — Almost similar in coloration to S. dresseri, but differing in 

 the shape of the wedge-like characters of the bill. 

 Nest and Eggs. Similar to dresseri. 



The birds found breeding in Greenland were formerly supposed 

 to be of the European race, — typical mollissima ; but within a 

 few years it has been discovered that there was sufficient differ- 

 ence to warrant a separation, there being a slight distinction in the 

 coloration and in the shape of the bill. 



In habits these Greenland birds do not differ from their more 

 southern allies. Mr. Hagerup states that large numbers winter 

 near the open water in South Greenland, arriving there chiefly from 

 :he northward. They winter south to Massachusetts. 



KING EIDER. 



SOMATERIA SPECTABILIS. 



Char. Top of head pearl gray, shading to deeper on the nape; a 

 black line bordering the base of the bill, which is formed like a shield; 

 cheeks white, with patches of green ; neck, upper back, and shoulders 

 white ; lower back black; wings and tail dark brown; two lines of black 

 from the chin form a chevron on the throat ; breast white, tinged with 



