3 6 British Diving Ducks 
similar markings on the female Eider ; from the centre of the breast to the vent the plumage 
is sooty-black ; chin, throat, and cheeks, chestnut ; irides, upper throat with black mark- 
ings. The chief mark of distinction is the smaller and shorter bill of the female King- 
Eider, and the fact that the central line of feathers on the upper mandible runs right down 
to the nostrils, whilst in the eider it stops half-way. Also the bare spaces of each side of 
their feathered wedge are twice as broad and of a different shape to the Common Eider. 
These features of distinction were first pointed out by Mr. J. E. Harting {Proc. Zool. Soc, 
1 87 1, p. 118). Feet dull yellow with black webs; bill and nail lead colour; weight 
about 4 lbs. 
General Distribution. — The King-Eider inhabits the northern portion of Europe, 
Asia, and America, only straggling southwards in winter. On the whole it is found 
further north than the Eider. 
Breeding Range. 
Europe: Iceland. — Faber {Prodromus, pp. 67-8) says that the species bred in 1819 and 
1820 on Videy, a small island near Reykjavik. This record may be due to the presence of 
non-breeding males in summer {cf. Hantzsch, p. 197). I saw three males passing into 
eclipse plumage late in June 1891 at the mouth of the Akuyreri Fjord, but was not 
sufficiently close to note if they were adult or not. The inhabitants of an island at the 
mouth of this Fjord recognised a picture of the King-Eider which I showed them, and 
stated that a pair occasionally bred there in company with the Common Eiders. 
Spitsbergen. — A few breed {cf. A. Walter,/./ O., 1890, p. 239; Koenig,// O., 1908, 
p. 138; 2\so Amfauna Spitzbergensis, p. 41, &c., eggs taken and incubating birds shot). 
Kolguev. — Breeds commonly, according to S. A. Buturlin, although no nests were found 
by Pearson, who, however, saw adult birds, as he informed me. 
Novaya Zemlya. — Breeds commonly (S. A. Buturlin, as quoted by Dresser) ; an egg in 
the Seebohm collection, now in the British Museum, is said to have come from this island. 
[British Isles. — Bullock, in 181 2, stated that he took a nest with 6 eggs in Papa Westray, 
Orkneys. See also F. M. Ogilvie's notes, quoted in Buckley and Harvie Brown's Vert. 
Fauna of Orkneys, pp. 18 1-2. Confirmation is required before these records can possibly be 
accepted as genuine. Dixon {Ibis, 1885, p. 88) saw two at St. Kilda, and had "not the 
slightest doubt that they were nesting on the precipitous island of Doon " (!).] 
Asia. — " Breeds along the coast of Siberia east to Kamtschatka and the Commander 
Isles ; on the Kolyma, about as commonly as Somateria stelleri " (S. A. Buturlin, quoted 
by H. E. Dresser in Eggs of B. of Europe, p. 583). MiddendorfT obtained eggs and young 
in Siberia (Taimyr Pen.), 74° N. Cf. Sib. Reise, ii. p. 233, taf. xxii. fig. i (pullus), fig. 2 
(egg) [1853]. Dr. H. Walter obtained clutches on the Taimyr Peninsula, June 1901 (cf Ibis, 
1904, p. 229) ; cf also Ibis, 1908, p. 595. Also breeds on Kanin and Yalmal peninsulas. 
Breeds on Gr. Liakoff Isles (Bunge, cf Ibis, 1888, p. 351) : Lower Lena, more or less widely 
distributed on tundra (S. A. Buturlin, /. / O., 1908, p. 293). Commander Isles and 
Kamtschatka Isles : only mentioned by Stejneger as " winter visitor and rather rare " 
{Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1887, p. 138). 
N. America: Greenland. — Breeds along northern part of west coast, south to a little 
below Disco Bay ; numerous N. of Upernivik (H. Winge, Grdnlands Fugle, p. 108). Also 
