i8o British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs 



February lotli, 1830, and Filey Brigg, Yorkshire, on August 15th, 1845, (" Zoologist," 

 1846, p. 1249), * male assuming the winter plumage. 



Dr. Von Middendorflf, (I quote from Yarrell's " British Birds," ed. iv., vol. 4), 

 "describes the nest of Steller's Eider as cup-shaped and lined with down, placed 

 in the moss of the flat ' tundras ' ; the eggs, seven to nine in number, of a pale 

 greenish-grey colour; average measurements 2'2 by i'6 in." A nest found by 

 Mr. Dall, on the flat portion of Amaknak Island, Unalashka, on May i8th, 1872, 

 was built between two tussocks of dry grass, and the depression was carefully 

 lined with the same material. About the nest the standing grass was pressed 

 together so as entirely to conceal it ; it contained a single egg of a pale olivaceous 

 cast ; no down or feathers had yet been added, (" Water Birds of America," Vol. 

 II, p. 68). 



This species is said rarely to be seen in company with other Ducks, excepting 

 the King- Eider, Somateria spedabilis, and sometimes the Pacific Eider, 5. v-nigriim. 

 It is said to feed chiefly on shell- fish, and its habits resemble those of the Eider. 

 Except in the breeding season it is gregarious. 



" In the adult male the bill is brownish-black ; the irides pale brown ; round 

 the eye a ring of black; between the beak and the eye, nearly meeting across 

 the forehead, a patch of pale green ; on the occiput a band of pale green, with 

 black ends ; crown, cheeks, and part of the neck behind, white ; below the white 

 on the neck there is a collar of bluish-black, which ends in a broad stripe, passing 

 the whole length of the middle of the back and upper tail-coverts, this latter 

 portion tinged with raven-blue; the wing-primaries and tail-feathers brown; the 

 secondaries in part white, with a dark blue outer web forming a rich speculum ; 

 the terminal portions white ; each inner secondary feather white on the inner web, 

 rich blue on the outer web, and curved downwards towards the end ; wing-coverts 

 white; scapulars elongated and, like the inner secondaries, with the narrow inner 

 web white, the broader outer web rich blue; chin and throat rich bluish-black; 

 below the broad collar is a narrow band of white, the colour extending over the 

 sides of the neck to each wing; just below the point of the wing, some of the 

 white feathers have black at the tip, forming a dark patch ; middle of breast and 

 belly rich chestnut brown, passing oflf into a buff'-colour on the front, sides, and 

 flanks ; vent and under tail-coverts dark brown ; legs, toes, and other membranes, 

 black." The above elaborate description of the adult male in nuptial plumage, 

 taken from " Yarrell's British Birds," Vol. IV., {Saunders), will give some idea of 

 the richness in colour and exceeding beauty of this Duck. 



The female is a strange contrast to her mate, and has no fine clothes to 

 boast of — dark-reddish and blackish- brown, with a good many bars and spots of 



