6i4 THE KING EIDER. 



General Range. — Atlantic Coast of North America, from Maine to Labrador ; 

 south in winter to the Delaware and west to the Great Lakes. 



Range in Ohio. — Of casual occurrence on Lake Erie. One record for the 

 interior,- — Licking Reservoir, Nov. ii, 1895. 



THE chief interest in the Eider Ducks attaches to their use of down in 

 lining their nests. Since they breed so far north — abundantly along the coast 

 of Labrador and beyond — it is desirable that eggs be not exposed tO' the cold 

 air during the necessary absence of the parent. As the eggs are laid, therefore; 

 in a grass-lined depression on the surface of some barren island or bleak 

 promontory, the bird plucks feathers from her breast; and when the set of 

 six is completed and incubation begun, the eggs are quite buried in an 

 abundance of soft, slate-colored down. 



The gathering of Eider-down is an organized industry in many parts of 

 the North, and when it is conducted along legitimate lines, is no more to be 

 deprecated than the poultry business, but the ruthless spoliation of this species 

 in Labrador has left it very much less plentiful than formerly. 



No. 303. 



KING EIDER. 



A. O. U. No. 162. Somateria spectabilis (Linn.). 



Description. — Adult male: General plumage much as in preceding species, 

 but scapulars and tertials black, breast more narrowly white ; head quite different ; 

 crown, hind-head and nape broadly light grayish blue ; sides of head only tinged 

 with light green (oil green) ; a prominent inverted V-shaped black mark on throat; 

 the lateral base of upper mandible much enlarged into rounded lobe and pushed 

 forward, the anterior upper portion forming an acute angle with the crest of the 

 culmen ; feathering immediately contiguous to this process, and a spot on lower 

 eyelid, black. The prominence of enlarged base of bill depends upon season, it 

 bemg supported to the utmost by underlying fatty tissue during breeding season. 

 Adult female: Like that of preceding species, but throat nearly unstreaked and 

 anterior feathering of lores not reaching as far as nostril. Length 20.00-25.00 

 (508.-635.) ; wing 10.75 (273-1) ; tail 3.35 (85.1) ; bill from nostril i.oo (25.4) ; 

 from anterior extension of loral feathering 1.60 (40.6) ; tarsus 1.90 (48.3). 



Recognition Maries. — Mallard size or larger; many marks as in preceding 

 species ; inverted V-shaped mark on throat distinctive for male ; feathers not reach- 

 ing to nostril, distinctive for both sexes. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground near pond or marsh, 

 or among rocks, heavily lined with down. Bggs, 6-10, pale olive- or grayish- 

 green. Av. size, "2.77 X 1.83" (70.4 X 46.5) (Ridg.). 



General Range. — Northern parts of northern hemisphere, breeding in the 



