246 
ANATID.^. 
composed of coarse grass and dead plants, more carefully dis- 
posed towards the inside. The female was sitting upon seven 
eggs, which were lying upon a thick bed of down. One of 
these, now before me, is of a creamy white colour, not so purely 
and warmly tinted as that of the Teal ; it is rather long in shape, 
measuring two inches and one line by one inch and six lines. 
Eggs from the same nest sometimes vary considerably in size. 
Tlie Wigeon breeds early. I have procured eggs on the 26th 
of April. Some, however, were sent to me from Yell, in a fresh 
state, as late as the end of May. 
I have never yet seen young Wigeon, although I have most 
diligently sought and enquired for them ; this, however, is 
doubtless rather owing to their scarcity than to any peculiarity 
in their habits. The males seem to disappear entirely as soon 
as incubation commences. 
THE EIDEE DUCK. 
Somateria mollissima. 
DUNTER. 
Erom all accounts, the Eider Duck has undergone a marked 
diminution in mimhers during the present century, but it is 
pleasant to he able to add from personal experience that during 
the last ten years the numbers, if not actually increased, have 
certainly not been diminishing, at least in the North Isles.'^ Of 
course it would be easy to point out certain localities where, 
though once sure to he met with at the proper seasons, it is 
now rarely seen, the old frequenters of those haunts having been 
shot down ; yet the winter flocks continue of the average size, 
and in the breeding time numerous males, which are constantly 
observed swimming near the shores of the numerous islets, quite 
sufflciently indicate that the species is safe for some years to 
* It may be as well to remark that the expression North Isles, frequently 
occurring in the hook, is used in Shetland as the collective designation of Yell, 
Un.st, and Fetlar, as distinguished from the Mainland. — E d. 
