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EIDEE DUCK. 



ST. cuthbert's duck, great black and white duck, dunton duck. 



Somateria mollissima, . . . Leach. 



Anas mollissima, .... LiNNiEtrs. 



Canard Eider, .... Temmtnck. 



Somateria. Qusere, Soma — A body, and Pteron — A wing; on account of its heavy flight? 

 Mollissima — Very soft, in allusion to the luxurious down of this species. 



The Eider Ducks have been long known and esteemed on account of the valuable 

 down which they afford, and which possesses greater elasticity and warmth than that of 

 any other genus of water-fowl. 



The common Eider Duck is indigenous in the north of England and Scotland, and is 

 occasionally met with all along the south and east coasts of England. One was also 

 obtained at Sunning, near Reading, during severe weather. 



In Ireland it is extremely rare. 



It is abundant in Greenland, Iceland, Lapland, and all the northern parts of Europe, 

 Asia, and America. 



In Norway and Iceland the down is collected in large quantities. After the nest is 

 made, and the eggs deposited in it, the eggs and down, with which the nest is lined, 

 are taken. The female then repairs the nest, and deposits a second set of eggs, which 

 are also removed. The same process is repeated a third time; but on this occasion the 

 poor female having completely denuded herself of down, the male bird supplies the 

 recpiisite quantity from his breast. This third set of eggs is left unmolested, and the 

 birds bring out their young in security. The down thus procured is of a greatly superior 

 quality to that taken from the dead birds, which is comparatively inelastic. 



The Eider Duck is eaten by the Greenlanclers, but we believe it is not much to be 

 commended as an article of food, being rank and fishy. 



The Eider Duck is an active and ready diver, and remains under water a considerable 

 time, during which it is engaged in procuring the shell-fish on which it chiefly feeds. It 

 is very maritime in its habits, and is rarely found at any distance from the sea-shore. 



