40 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
day-feeder, and appears to spend the night on 
‘ • almost exclusively on small crus- 
Shp hi shell-fish, and crabs, often of con- 
^deiable size, are swallowed whole. . . . The note of the 
kr-kr-kr; but when courting his 
mate the male utters a harsh loud cooing sound, like ah-oo as 
up and down!’’ repeatedly moves his h^ad 
Nest.— Sometimes only a depression in the ground, thicklv 
lined with^ Ae bird’s own down. At the Fames, says Mr^ 
the kider Ducks make their nests mnong 
the bladdermampion, which grows in great profusion on somf 
rlpff= hart some of the birds seek nesting-sites in the 
clefts of the rocks close to the water Where the 
Snur^oTir"’ "'here it is protected for commer- 
bv sid^an f’ “^"ihers of nests are placed almost side 
by side, and m some cases two females share the same abode 
sitting amicably on their eggs. The nest of the Eider is a 
weed, and stalks of campion and other marine herbage. The 
lining of down is gradually added when the full complement of 
eggs IS almost completed.” v-uuipicment ot 
f “ The Duck will sometimes 
SI so closely on its iipt that it can be touched by hand bm 
when suddenly disturbed from the nest, it usually disSrS 
over the eggs a most offensive-smelling liquid excre^nent Thi! 
.s almost cough to provoo, an, hu„L\lg frr touehS 
the eggs; and one Coin imagine that it must be of great protec^ 
tive value m acting as a strong deterrent to stoats, Ladies and 
other vermin from suck mg the eo-^s AIthn..„h fu; Vl-; • 
not peculiar to the Eider, L probatly no ice It mo t b 
species of Duck, because the Sther sjecies a e .mr so eaSv 
approached, but leave the nest earlier, and so have tiine to 
cover up their eggs with down, and protect them in that way ” 
Eggs.-From five to eight in number, of a greenish stone 
colour. Axis, 2-9-3-2S inches ; diam., rg-a-i. 
Down -Not so daTrk as in some of the other diving Ducks 
of a light brown colour, with the filamentous tins sr-irn^, ’ 
p»lc, ,he “cyp” of „hi.e in .he centre duirn.SsiS ’’ 
