﻿134 ANATID^E. 



The flavour of the flesh of these birds is greatly relished 

 by the inhabitants of the north, but is not fit for the table 

 of civilised nations. 



The measurements of the Eider Duck are twenty-four 

 inches in entire length ; the beak measures two inches three 

 lines ; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, eleven inches and 

 a half. 



The adult male has the forehead, top of the head, chin, 

 cheeks, neck, back, scapulars, wing-coverts, tertials, and a 

 round patch on each side of the rump, white ; from the 

 sides of the upper mandible, a black band, with deep 

 purple reflexions, passes around the eyes, meets on the 

 top of the head, and reaches a long way behind the eyes ; 

 on the sides of the face are two pea-green crescent-shaped 

 marks ; the tips of the tertials are edged with black ; the 

 breast is tinged with brown ochrous yellow ; all the under- 

 pays, rump, and upper tail-coverts black ; the wings and 

 tail are dusky, as also the webs of the feet ; the beak is 

 pale ochre, the legs and toes the same, and the eye is dark 

 brown. 



The plumage of the female is reddish-brown, transversely 

 barred with black ; the head and back of the neck streaked 

 with dusky ; wing-coverts black, edged with brown ; two 

 faint white bars across the wing ; the belly and vent are 

 dark brown, with dull transverse black bars. 



The egg figured 257 is that of the Eider Duck. 



