THE EIDER DUCK. 
247 
come at least. In the winter, solitary birds or couples are dis- 
tributed all round the coast, sometimes remaining by themselves, 
but usually joining the first tlock they may happen to fall in 
with. These flocks vary in size, from five to eight birds being the 
usual number, though as many as a couple of dozen sometimes 
collect in spots favourable to their habits, such as quiet sandy 
bays or sheltered voes. They do not associate much with 
other species ; I have seen them in company with the common 
Wild Duck, when, instead of flying off with them on the 
first alarm, they have remained until I was within less than a 
hundred yards. The Eider is not the easiest Duck to approach, 
but it is certainly not the most difiicult. Sometimes it may be 
readily shot from a boat under sail in a moderate breeze ; for, 
though it does occasionally take alarm rather soon, it usually 
rises on wing instead of diving, and thus affords a much better 
chance to the shooter. The large proportion of white in the 
plumage of the male makes him very conspicuous in calm 
weather, but in a breaking sea no bird is more difficult to dis- 
tinguish, even at a short distance. I have never been able to 
satisfy myself that in a wild state the Eider resorts to vegetable 
food, under any circumstances. I have examined the stomachs 
at all seasons, and, with the exception of sand and gravel, have 
never found anything besides mollusca and Crustacea of various 
species. The crabs, which are swallowed entire, are often of 
comparatively large size. One taken from the oesophagus, and 
quite whole, measured exactly two inches across the carapace. 
I have several times shot the young in its downy state in order 
to ascertain the nature of the food, which, after all that has been 
said and written upon the subject, is precisely similar to that 
of the adult. In skinning the Eider I have never experienced 
any difficulty in passing the head through the neck.* Almost 
* On my earlier visit to Shetland, in 1853, the year before the lamented 
author first saw the future scene of his labours, I was discussing this very sub- 
ject with the Scalloway boatmen in crossing the bay to Eeawick, on the west 
coast. Finding that the work of bird-skinning was not very much to my 
liking, they assured me there were persons “down south ” who were so skilled 
in the art as to be able to blow the bird right out of its skin by means of a tube 
