COMMON EIDER. 
170 
Tlie plumage of the head is short and soft ; the 
forehead and sides of the head, running in a line 
with the lower part of the eyes, and terminating in 
a narrow point opposite the nostrils, rich bluish 
black, having in some lights a deep bluish tint ; 
this is divided on the crown from the line of tho 
eyes backwards by a narrow line of greenish white; 
the occiput and sides of the neck, with a large 
patch rounded inferiorly pistachio green, the fea- 
thers being rather long and stiff, capable of being 
raised at will; the checks, neck, back and sides 
of the rump, pure white ; breast, rich cream-yel- 
low ; the wings above the greater covers, scapu- 
lars, and tertials white, tinted with straw-yellow ; 
the latter loose in their webs, and curvod over the 
wing ; the rump and upper tail-covers, belly, vent, 
and under tail-covers, black ; tho greater wing, 
covers short and black ; secondaries blackish brown ; 
quills and tail greyish brown ; bill and legs greenish 
yellow. The female has the general colouring of 
the plumage yellowish brown, on the head and neck 
streaked with blackish brown ; on the back and 
upper parts, the greater portion of the feathers is 
blackish brown, tipped and cut into on the sides 
with yellowish brown ; on the under parts the fea- 
thers are trans versed with broad bars of the dark 
colour, which become indistinct in the centre of 
the belly and vent ; on the wing-covers the pale 
markings are more rufous in colour ; the greater 
covers are tipped with white. 
Among the small parties on our shores, many 
