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scarce through Slave River and Mackenzie River valleys and never seeming to come 
south into the prairie sections except in the foothills closely adjacent to the mountains. 
It breeds in the mountain streams, probably wherever found, but is not common. 
SUBSPECIES. The western American and northeastern Asian birds of this species 
have lately been separated from our eastern birds by small details of colour, as the Western 
Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus pacificus. 
This is a bird typical of the mountain torrents. Its summer home is 
the brawling glacial streams that descend the mountain sides, and the little 
pot-hole lakes that dot the higher valleys. The female raises her young in 
quiet, little glacial lakes, while the male, gay Harlequin that he is, betakes 
himself to the seacoast, where in company with others of his sex and some 
unmated or bereaved females, he spends the summer off rocky shores or 
on the kelp beds. The beauty of these wonderful little Ducks has given 
them the name among prospectors and trappers of “Lord and Lady Duck," 
and their chosen haunts on the coast have suggested the term “Rock 
Duck". 
Eiders 
Though not forming a recognized systematic subdivision of the Ducks, 
the Eiders are sufficiently similar to warrant special reference as a group 
in a popular work of this kind. 
General Description. Large, sturdily-built birds; with the Scoters, the largest of our 
Ducks. Males have broad masses of contrasting black and white, with sharp secant 
markings, and delicate suffusions of pale nile green and wine-coloured tints. The females 
are coloured in even shades of brown and are notable in being more or less extensively 
cross-barred, in some cases completely around the body, at others mostly across breast and 
flanks. The bills, except of S teller’s Eider, are stout, and much intruded upon by plumage 
at the base. 
Distinctions. In size and heavy build like the Scoters, but the males have large 
amounts of white and the females are cross-barred in brown. 
Distribution. Arctic and marine in distribution. Seldom coming down from their 
northern haunts, and in the west only accidentally, if ever, on fresh water. 
The Eiders are notable as the source of the eiderdown of commerce. 
It is the under or body down plucked by the bird itself for use as nesting 
material. Each nest is composed of a considerable mass of warm down 
on which the eggs are laid and with which they are covered when the 
parent leaves the nest. In Iceland, small amounts of down are gathered at 
regular intervals during egg deposition and incubation. This is gradually 
replaced by the bird as long as her supply lasts, after which she is left 
in peace until the eggs are hatched when the remainder is also taken. 
After cleaning from adherent straws, grasses, and bits of moss the down is 
ready for sale and use. In that country land-holders have a proprietary 
right in the Eiders that nest on their lands. The birds are strictly pro- 
tected and encouraged to nest close to the houses where they become 
semi-domestic in their habits and furnish a regular and appreciable source 
of income. 
157. Steller’8 Eider. Polystida stelleri. L, 17. The smallest and the least eider-like 
of any of the birds known under that name. Male : white, except for the following details— 
neck all around and back, iridescent blue-black. The head is peculiarly silvery in its 
whiteness, with a throat patch and spot encircling the eye of dead black. A small, dark sap- 
green nape crest and a suffusion of same colour in front of eye (Figure 133). Below — 
abdomen to tail very dark, carbonized brown suffusing up flanks and breast in a lighter 
burnt vinaoeous tint — as though the bird had squatted on a hot plate. A group of 
narrow feathers striped iridescent black and white falling in curved plumes over the 
secondaries on the closed wing. The female is rich dark brown, with suggestion of 
scorching below, more or less crose-barred with lighter on upper breast, neck, and face. 
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