4 British Diving Ducks 
angles of the bill on the sides of the forehead long and pointed. Colour of bill green, 
with bone-yellow nail. 
\Soniateria mollissima thulensis, Malmgren, 1864. — The recent researches of Professor 
Koenig and Dr. le Roi proved that this is identical with S. m. norwegica of Brehm.] 
8. Somateria mollissima V-nigra, Gray.— N.W. America and N.E. Asia. At present 
we do not know how far this sub-species extends along the north coast of Asia, but probably 
it is found as far west as the Taimyr Peninsula. Dresser and Buturlin mention it as an 
inhabitant of these regions, and Nordenskiold found it in many places. 
The Pacific Eider breeds along the coast of Arctic N. America as far as Franklin 
Bay, and probably as far as James Bay. It is a common breeding species from the mouth 
of the Mackenzie to Point Barrow, and down the coast of Alaska as far as Cook's Inlet and 
the Aleutian Isles, being numerous at the mouth of the Yukon. It breeds also on the 
Commander Isles. It winters in Behring Sea and about the Aleutian Isles, and passes 
south as far as Wrangel (S. Alaska), where I saw specimens kilted in November, and 
probably as far as the north-west coast of British Columbia. It also occurs on migration 
in Japan. Mr. Schioler has five males from West Greenland, where he considers it to be 
rare. The shape and colour of the bill of the male are similar to S. m. borealis, but it differs 
in possessing a conspicuous and large black V-shaped mark on the throat. Traces of this 
mark are occasionally found in S. m. dresseri, S. m. islandica, S. m. borealis, and S. m. brit- 
annica. In size this Eider is similar to the Swedish race. 
Adult Males. 
Total Length 
from Point 
of Bill to End 
of Tail. 
Wing. 
Tarsus. 
Nail to Point 
of 
Forehead. 
Nail to 
Upper Angle 
of Bill. 
Somaieria mollissima mollisima ..... 
26 
1 1 
2 
2 
3 
Somateria mollissima borealis ..... 
25 
1 1 
2 
2^^ 
Somateria mollissima britannica ..... 
Somateria mollissima dresseri ..... 
22-23 
26 
1 1 
II 
2 
2-*- 
■^16 
2 
3 
Somateria mollissima fcerdeensis ..... 
20-2 I 
10 
2 
3 
Somaieria mollissima islandica . . . . 
25 
1 1 
2 
2* 
Somateria mollissima norivegica ..... 
22-24 
1 1 
2 
2iA 
3 
Somateria mollissima V-nigra ..... 
26 
II 
2 
Measurements in inches and i6ths of an inch. 
