454 EIDER DUCK. Clafs II. 



VI. The EIDER DUCK. 



Wormiuh Eider, or foft feathered fg. 30. 



Duck, the Cuthbert Duck. Anas molliffima. Lin.fyfl. 108. 



Wil. orn 362. Ada, Eider, Gudunge, Mxa.. 



Raiijyn. &v. 141. Faun. Suec.fp. 117. 



Great black and white Duck. Pontop. hijl. Norway, ii. 70. 



£dW. a<v. 98. i&r. ^j/?. /«■/. 65. 



Eider anas. Sz£. &:<tf. 21. Egede's Hi/t. Greenland. 92. 



The Colk. Martin 's defcription of Mittek. Crantzs Greenl. i. 81. 



/£* ivejlern ijles. 25. Edder. Brunnich. 57. 66. Monogr. 



Anferlanuginofus,rOyeaduvet. tab. 1.2. 



BriJJbnav. vi. 294. tab. zq. Br.Zool. \ 52. add. plates. 



THIS ufeful fpecies is found in the wefiern ijlts 

 of Scotland, particularly on Coffin/a, Barra^ 

 Rom, and Heisker, and on the i*<w*» j#w*; but in 

 greater numbers in Norway, Iceland, and Greenland: 

 from whence a vaft quantity of the down, known by 

 the name of Eider or Edder, which thefe birds furnilh 

 is annually imported : its remarkably light, elaftic, 

 and warm qualities, make it highly efteemed as a 

 Huffing for coverlets, by fuch whom age or infirmi- 

 ties render unable to fupport the weight of common 

 blankets. This down is produced from the breaft of 

 the bird in the breeding feafon. It lays its eggs f 

 among the (tones or plants, near the fhore : and pre- 

 pares a foft bed for them, by plucking the down from 

 its own breaft ; the natives watch the opportunity, 

 and take away both eggs and neft : the duck lays a- 

 gain, and repeats the plucking of its breaft j if (lie 



* Ray's i tin. 183. 



+ It lays five or fix eggs as large as thofe of a goofe, and of a 

 pale olive gretn color. 



is 



