STELLER'S EIDER 
Somateria stelleri (Pallas) 
Anas stelleri, Pall., Spic. Zool., fasc. vi. p. 35, tab. v. (1769). 
Anas dispar, Sparrm., Mus. Carls., No. VII. (1786). 
Anas occidua, Bon. et Vieill, End. Meth., i. p. 130 (1790). 
Clangula stelleri^ Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 564. 
Fuligula dispar, Steph., Gen. ZooL, xii. p. 206 (1824). 
Macropus stelleri, Nuttall, Man. Orn. U. S., ii. p. 451 (1834). 
Polysticta stelleri, Eyton, Hist. Rarer Brit, B., p. 79 (1836). 
Stellaria dispar, Bonap., Comp. List of B. of Eur. and N. Am., p. 57 (1838). 
Eniconetta stelleri, Gray, List of Gen. of B., p. 75 (1840). 
Harelda stelleri, Keys, and Bias., Wirb. Eur., p. 230 (1840). 
Heniconetta stelleri, Agass, Ind. Univ., p. 178 (1846). 
Somateria stelleri, A. Newton, P.Z.S., 1861, p. 400 ; Dresser, p. 649 ; Yarrell, iv. p. 468 ; Saunders, p. 463. 
Local Names.— Steller's Eider, Steller's Western Duck, Steller's Duck, Kamtschatka Duck {English) ; 
Steller's And {Norwegian) ; Steller's And Alfdrradare ^ {Swedish) ; Ignikau'to {Point Barrow 
Esquimaux) . 
Egg. — 7 to 9 (Middendorff). Macllhenny took an apparently full clutch of 6 eggs 
(Alaska). Eggs typical Eiders', but decidedly smaller than those of the Common Eider, 
pale greenish-grey in colour. Cf. figures by Newton, &c. 
Average Size. — Average of 22 eggs (11 by Goebel, 6 by Jourdain, and 5 by Meves) 
=61.39x41.04 mm.; max., 65 x 42.5 ; min., 55.5 x 40.5 and 62.5 x 38 mm. Average weight 
of II eggs, 462 eg. (372-528 eg., Goebel). 
The nest down from Point Barrow (Macllhenny Exped.) is very dark brown, almost 
black. Down collected by Buturlin is also sooty blackish-brown, and the small feathers 
amongst it are dark greyish at the base, but otherwise dark brown (H. E. Dresser). 
Young in Down. — Very young examples seem to be unknown at present,^ but I am 
indebted to Mr. Walter Rothschild for the loan of a specimen taken at Point Barrow, 
Alaska, on July 28, 1898 (Macllhenny Exped.), which is figured in the coloured plate by 
Mr. Gronvold. The young bird in question is about two to three weeks old. It has the high 
rising bill characteristic of the adult bird, sloping abruptly from brow to nail. The quills 
are already sprouting on the scapulars. From bill to lower neck the colour of the down is 
blackish-brown ; in front and over the eye there is a light brown space ; edges of the eyelid 
whitish-brown ; upper parts dark brownish-grey, with tinges of smoky brown on the upper 
chest ; chin and throat light brownish-grey ; feet and bill blackish-brown. 
Immature Male. — In first winter plumage in November the young male in general 
appearance is a very dark red-brown, so dark, in fact, that residents can easily recognise the 
species from immature Eiders, not only by the inferior size, but the dark colour. The birds 
in the winter look almost black. On close inspection the whole head and cheeks are a very 
dark brown interspersed with flecks and edgings of a dull sandy-yellow, the centre of the 
^ The Pilot or Mes'senger (lit. traitor) of the Long-tailed Duck (Nilsson). 
^ There are probably specimens in the Smithsonian Institute. 
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