, NORTH AMERICAN BIRD8. 93 



The American Elder breeds along the Atlantic coast of North America from 

 Maine to Northern Labrador. On Grand Manan and some of the smaller islands 

 In that vicinity this duck formerly nested in great numbers, but from constant perse- 

 cution its numbers have been greatly diminished. A female specimenof thisspeciesin 

 my collection was taken November 11, 1895, at the Licking County Reservoir (Ohio) 

 by William Harlow. It is one of the most characteristic summer ducks of Labrador 

 and Newfoundland. Mr. Frazar found this Eider breeding commonly on small 

 Islands on the coast of Labrador, making the nest in the short, soft grass. The 

 favorite nesting place was at the foot of some large rock, or in the nooks between 

 rocks, where the birds found shelter from the wind. They were always made of 

 the slate-colored down from the breasts of the birds. Most of the nests contained 

 four or five eggs; a large number of six, two seven and one eight.* The eggs are from 

 four to ten in number, but often fewer; they are plain duU-greenish-dralt; measur- 

 ing about 3x2. 



161. PACIFIC EIDEB. Somateria v-nigra Gray. Geog. Dist. — Coasts of the 

 North Pacific; in the interior to the Great Slave Lake, and Eastern Siberia. 



The Pacific Eider is common in suitable places on both coasts and islands of 

 Bering Sea and the polar coasts of Siberia; 

 replacing the Common Eider, S. moUssima, 

 Spectacled and Steller's Eiders. Dr. Stejneger 

 says it is now rather scarce oi the Com- 

 mander Island. On Copper Island it breeds 

 only in a few places, and in limited numbers. 

 It breeds on the Aleutian Islands, the Island 

 of St. Michael's, and in great numbers on the 

 Arctic coast, near the mouth of the Anderson 

 River. Its nesting habits are the same as 

 those of S. dresseri, and the eggs measure ^®^- p^^^'c Eider. 



from 2.95 to 3.20 long by 1.95 to 2.10 broad. 



162. KING EIBEB. Somateria spectabilis (Linn.) Geog. Dist. — Northern part 

 of Northern Hemisphere, breeding in the Arctic regions; in North America south 

 casually in winter to New Jersey and the Great Lakes. 



A beautiful Arctic species, very closely resembling the three last. It is a resident 

 of Greenland, and is found on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and America, and oil 

 the Pacific coasts of America and Asia. Abundant in various places along the shores 

 of the Arctic Ocean, thence southward in winter on the Pacific side in great numbers 

 to the Aleutian Islands and beyond. Rare on the Alaskan coast of Bering Sea. The 

 nests of this Eider, found in the islands of the Arctic seas, are placed in depressions 

 of the ground, and composed wholly of down. In Greenland the King Eider breeds 

 in the latter part of June or in the first part of July, nesting in the vicinity of ponds 

 and marshes. Six eggs are the usual number laid, but as many as ten are said to be 

 deposited. They vary from light-olive gray to grayish-green, and measure from 

 3.10 to 3.15 long by 1.75 to 2.10 broad. 



163. AMERICAN SCOTER. Oidemia americana Sw. & Rich. Geog. Dist.— 

 Coasts and larger lakes of Northern North America; breeds in Labrador and the 

 northern interior; south in winter to New Jersey, the Great Lakes and California. 



* See Mr. Prazar's article: Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. XII, pp. 19-20. 



