246 
NATATORES. 
as well as the down ; the female again plucks her 
bosom, and lays a fresh complement of eggs, which 
are also taken ; a third time she makes the effort to 
raise a brood, when the male sometimes assists in 
lining the nest by taking the down from his own 
breast. This brood they are allowed to raise, for, if 
their hopes of progeny are entirely destroyed, they 
will abandon the place; whereas, if once attached to 
a spot, they return to it year after year with their 
young. 
The Eider Duck is seldom found south of the 
vicinity of New York. Further north and to the 
eastward as far as the bay of Fundy, it becomes more 
abundant; and to Labrador thousands of pairs, it is 
said, annually resort to breed and spend the short 
Summer. Respecting their habits in these countries, 
Audubon says: “ In Labrador, the Eider Ducks be- 
gin to form their nests about the last week of May. 
Some resort to islands scantily furnished with grass, 
near the tufts of which they construct their nests ; 
others form them beneath the spreading boughs of 
the stunted firs, and in such places, five, six, or even 
eight, are sometimes found beneath a single bush. 
Many are placed on the sheltered shelvings of rocks 
a few feet above high-water mark, but none at any 
considerable elevation ; at least none of my party, 
including the sailors, found any in such a position. 
The nest, which is sunk as much as possible into the 
ground, is formed of sea-weeds, mosses, and dried 
twigs, so matted and interlaced as to give the appear- 
ance of neatness to. the central cavity, which rarely 
