70 NATURAL HISTORY of NO RTF AT, 



SECT. VI. 



Edderfagi, The Wild Duck, called Edder, JEdder, or contracted by 2£r- 

 fugl, and by Wormio, in Mufeo, p. 320, Anas plumis mollirli- 

 mis, is found here along the coaft, as well as in Iceland, Green- 

 land, Faroe # , and elfewhere, in great quantities. The feathers 

 of its breaft, which are known far and near by the name of Eider- 

 Dun, make annually a good livelihood to people in many places. 

 I think this Bird deferves an exacl: defcription, efpecially as they 

 are not known any where elfe than in the North Sea. 



In fhape and fize it keeps a medium betwixt the Goofe and 

 the Duck, fo that one may, with equal reafon, call it a fmall 

 Wild Goofe, or a large Wild Duck. The Cock on the upper 

 part is black, mix'd with dark green, which, about the neck, is 

 fomething lighter ; under the eyes white, mix'd with light green ; 

 the breaft is black ; under the belly and wings it is of a light 

 grey , on the tail, which is but fmall, it Is of a dark green and 

 fhining hue. On Faroe, according to L. Debes, the cocks are fome- 

 times white, and, when they are young, are like the hens, which 

 are fomewhat lefs than their mates, and are afterwards all over 

 brown and grey mixt. The bill and feet are of the Goofe kind, 

 but of a dufky yellowifh colour, and in the hens fomething 

 darker. They dive under water like Ducks, but much deeper : 

 they will go to ten or twelve fathom deep, and they live, like 

 other Sea-Birds, upon fifh, fhells, and fea-weeds. In the Winter 

 they are almoft always on the ocean, and they feek the coaft in 

 the Spring in large numbers, to make their nefts in the cliffs, 

 and on fmall iflands, either among ftones, or among the tufts of 

 bufhes, and large fea-plants. They lay five, or, at moft, fix 

 eggs, of a green colour, and as large as a Goofe-egg, in fhape 

 fomewhat longifh f . 



If 



* This agrees with what Buchanan, writes, de Rebus Scoticis, Lib. i. of the Scotch 

 Bird he calls Calca; of which alfo Robert. Sibaid. in Hill. Animal. Scot. Lib. ii. 

 p. 21. relates the fame of this Bird and its feathers. It is not feen before the Spring, 

 and it is thought that this Bird, along with a great many other Sea-fowls, go to other 

 places in the Winter : but whether they go, according to the opinion of fome, to 

 America, I will not determine. Whilft I am writing of this, a correfpondent of 

 mine at Sundmaser acquaints me, that they have been neverthelefs feen there in Winter 

 on the out-iflands, in the ocean, living upon what they find among the fand, that the 

 waves throw up from the bottom. Concerning their place of retreat, I can find no 

 account to be depended upon. 



•f Mr. Anderfon fays, in his Defcription of Iceland, p. m. 44. that they have told 

 him that thefe Birds lay a vaft many eggs. If a flick of half an ell's length be put 

 in the middle of the nefl, which fometimes is done, (becaufe the eggs are much 

 efleemed) the female flill continues laying her eggs more than her cuflom, and does 

 not leave off till the top of k the flick is covered, that fhe may lay upon them ; 



whereby 



