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that fades gradually away into cheeks and under eyes (Figure 135). Female: light brown, 
cross-barred on breast, flanks, and much of back with dark, cream, and light rusty-ochre, 
crown and face finely streaked with dark. 
Distinctions. The male likely to be confused only with the Eastern Eider. To be 
distinguished from it by a black V with apex on throat under the gape and arms extending 
under cheeks. The eastern Eider, however, is not known to occur west of Hudson bay. 
The female resembles the female King Eider, but may always be distinguished from it by 
the feathering of the sides of the bill extending as far as the nostrils (compare with Figure 
136) . From the eastern American Eider, the species can be told by the shape of the long 
bill processes. In the Pacific Eider these long, fleshy extrusions are generally thinner, nar- 
rower, and sharper and extend up the top of the forehead instead of slightly along the 
sides. 
Figure 135 
Pacific Eider; scale, J. 
Female Male 
Field Marks. White back, and head, with black cap, probably make the best field marks. 
Nesting. On the ground of the tundra. 
Distribution. The western Arctic coast and islands from Coronation gulf to shores of 
Bering sea. Occasional on lower Mackenzie and Great Slave lake. One record from lake 
Manitoba and reported from Washington coast. To be expected on inland waters or on 
our west coast only as a straggler. 
The largest of the Eiders and to be looked for as an occasional winter 
visitor on the outer British Columbia coast. 
162. King Eider. Somateria spectabilis. L, 23. A large Eider. Adult male: black 
below and mostly black on body above. Foreparts all white to head, the white falling 
like a cape over shoulders, narrowing to a point between the 
wings where it is sharply demarcated, and cutting sharply 
straight across lower breast, where it is tinged with warm 
vinaceous, against the black underparts. Wing coverts, and 
a conspicuous spot on either side at the base of the tail, 
white. The head is very distinctive. The base of the bill on 
either side rises in high, broad, fleshy processes, coloured 
orange-yellow in life, and bordered by a narrow line of black 
velvety feathers. The cheekB are flushed with delicate nile 
green and the crown is chalky blue. The throat is marked 
with a black V, the apex being under the bill and the arms 
extending under the line of the cheek feathers (Figure 136). 
The female is similar to the female of the Pacific Eider, light 
brown, more or less finely streaked on head and neck and 
coarsely V-marked with dark and light on breast, back, and 
flanks. 
Figure 136 
King Eider; scale, F 
Female Male 
Distinctions. The adult male in breeding plumage is unmistakable with his” great 
yellow bill processes and general coloration. The juvenile and the female are so like 
parallel plumages of the Pacific Eider that the bill feathering is probably the only reliable 
distinction. In the King Eider the featheration on the sides of the bill does not extend 
nearly as far as the nostrils (compare Figure 136 with 135). 
Field Marks. The breeding male with its bright yellow bill processes can be recog- 
nized at long range. When this cannot be seen, the largely black, instead of largely white, 
back should distinguish it from any other Eider with which it might be confused. Females 
and juveniles can probably be recognized only when in hand. 
Nesting. On the ground of the tundras, or under driftwood on the seashore. 
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