172. Somateria dresseri. — Mr. William Brewster has recently called 
my attention to the fact that among the skins of Eider Ducks sent me by' 
Mr. Comeau are examples of both 5 . mollissima and 5 . dresseri. 
The Eid er Duck s, called by our gunners ‘Sea Ducks,’ visit us 
in the autumn in immense throngs. Flying close to the water 
in horizontal lines, they pass along our shore early in Novem- 
ber, and continue on through the Straits of Canso and along 
the eastern shore of Nova Scotia to the mouth of the Bay 
of Ftindyn Occasionally, however, a flock with more sagacity 
has been seen to mount into the air and fly across the land to 
the head waters of the Bay. None of this species have been 
observed on our coast during the spring months, when their 
line of flight is said to be along the north-eastern shore of Cape 
Breton and to the Straits of Belle Isle. In all the throngs of this 
species that pass us no adult males are ever seen. 
Birds, Haute Island, Bay of Fundy, July 
26, 1887. W. L. Bishop, Kontville.N. 8. 
Notes from the Magdalen Islands. 
Somateria dresseri . June, 1S00. 
Eider Duck, Somateria mollissima dresseri ; a 
few pairs breed here. 
H.K.Job, Kent, Conn. 
Auk, XV111, April, 1901, p.200. 
O.& Q. XJI.Sept. 1887 p.145 
_ Ca P ture of a Specimen of Somateria dresseri in the vicinity of Ottawa 
Birds of N.E. const of Labrador 
by Henry B. Bigelow. 
31. Somateria dresseri. American Eider. — Abundant south of Ham- 
ilton Inlet, where it takes the place occupied by 5 . borealis in the north. 
An important article of food for the settlers. The Eskimo make tobacco 
pouches from the skins of the young ducks. Ank) XI X, Jan., 1902, p.27 
Birds of Toronto, Ontario. 
II 
By James K. Fleming. 
Pt . I , Water Birds . 
Hypothetical List. 
Auk, XXIII, Oct., 1906, p.453. 
11. Somateria dresseri. American Eider. — Prof. Hincks gives 
this in his list, and a pair were sent to Paris. I have carefully examined 
a number of eiders from the Great Lakes, including several recorded as 
this species; all prove to be S. spectabilis. 
3G 
