124 



EIDER DUCK 



length, forked in a remarkable manner, running high up in the 

 forehead, between which the plumage descends nea^i^ly to the nos- 

 tril ; the whole of the bill is of a dull yellowish horn color some- 

 what dusky in the middle; upper part of the head deep velvet 

 black, divided laterally on the hind head by a whitish band ; 

 cheeks white ; sides of the head pale pea green, marked with 

 a narrow line of white dropt from the ear feathers ; the plumage 

 of this part of the head, to the throat, is tumid, and looks as if 

 cut oif at the end, for immediately below the neck it suddenly 

 narrows, somewhat in the manner of the Buffel-head, enlarging 

 again greatly as it descends, and has a singular hollow between 

 the shoulders behind; the upper part of the neck, the back, sca- 

 pulars, lesser wing coverts, and sides of the rump are pure white; 

 lower part of the breast, belly, and vent black; tail, primaries 

 and secondaries brownish black, the tertials curiously curved, 

 falling over the wing; legs short, yellow; webs of the feet dusky. 



Latham has given us the following sketch of the gradual pro- 

 gress of the young males to their perfect colors : " In the first 

 year the back is white, and the usual parts, except the crown, 

 black; but the rest of the body is variegated with black and white. 

 In the second year the neck and breast are spotted black and 

 white, and the crown black. In the third the colors are nearly as 

 when in full plumage ; but less vivid, and a few spots of black 

 still remaining on the neck ; the crown black, and bifid at the 

 back part. 



" The young of both sexes are the same, being covered with 

 a kind of hairy down : throat and breast whitish ; and a cinereous 

 line from the bill through the eyes to the hind head.'^ ^ 



* Synopsis III, p. 471. 



