134 



ANATIDjE. 



StelleH, in honour of Geo. Wilh. Steller, who first discorered the bird in 

 Kamtehatta, 1741-42. 



Two specimens have been obtained on the east coast of 

 England. It inhabits the Northern Palsearctic and North- 

 western Nearctic Regions. 



Genus SOMATEEIA, Bote, Isis, 1822, p. 564. 



Somdferia from aujia, genit. aajiaros, the body, and epiov = wool, which 

 its breast supplies in the breeding-season. 



Somateria mollissima. EideeDuck. 



Anas mollissima, Linnmus, S. N. i. p. 198 (1766). 



Somateria mollissima, Macg. v. p. 147 ; Hewitson, p. 414 ; 



Gray, p. 205 ; Yar)'. ed. 2, iii. p. 297 ; id. ed. 3, iii. 



p. 298; Gould, V. pi. 26; Harting, p. &7 ; Dresser, vi. 



p. 629. 

 Anas mollissima, Naum. xii. p. 252. 

 The Eider Duck, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 201. 



Mollissima , superlative of mollis =■ soft. 



The Eider Duck breeds from the Fern Islands northwards, 

 and occurs sparingly in winter on the coasts of the United 

 Kingdom. It inhabits the north-western portions of the 

 Palsearctic Region. 



Somateria spectabilis. King Eidee. 



Anas spectabilis, Limusus, S. N. i. p. 195 (1766) . 



Somateria spectabilis, Macg. v. p. 158; Hewitson, p. 417; 



G)'ay, p. 206 ; Yarr. ed. 2, iii. p. 308 ; id. ed. 3, iii. 



p. 310 ; Gould, V. pi. 27 ; Harting, p. 163 ; Dresser, vi. 



p. 643. 

 Anas spectabilis, Naum. xii. p. 285. 

 The King Duck, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 211. 



Spectdhilis = worth seeing ; from speeto = I watch, frequentative of speclo = 

 I look at. 



A rare straggler to the British Islands, occurring most 



