456 
EIDER DUCK. 
top of head and nape, ring around lower neck, broadening out on back from which proceeds a longitudinal band, becoming 
wider on back and rump, and under parts, black. Head, neck, transverse patch below black ring, sides of throat, scap- 
ularies which are tinged with 'bluish, and wings, excepting primaries which are plumbeous-black, white. Bill, bluish tip¬ 
ped with black, iris, reddish-brown, and feet, blue. Adult female. Ashy-gray throughout, becoming darker below, and 
the tertiaries are hoary, while the inner secondaries are margined internally with black. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known by the prominent black and white colors as described. Formally distributed in winter from New Jersey, 
northward, and bred in the far North. At present, very rare everywhere. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 22-00; stretch, 29‘50; wing, 9'05; tail, 3'65; bill, 
I'65; tarsus, 1*65. Longest specimen, 23’75; greatest extent of wing, 3(V00; longest wing, 9"25; tail, 3'75; bill, 1'75; tarsus, 
1*60. Shortest specimen, 20’00; smallest extent of wing, 29-30; shortest wing, 8’80; tail, 3-50; bill, P50; tarsus, 1-50. 
HABITS. 
The Labrador Duck has, within the last fifteen or twenty years, become so rare as to 
be considered nearly extinct. I saw a Duck in Plumb Island River, some five or six win¬ 
ters ago, which I was confident was this species, but was unable to procure it; and I nev¬ 
er saw another, nor can I learn that any have been taken on our coast of late years. I 
hear upon good authority, however, that one was procured at Grand Menan, three years 
since, in winter. This latter named locality appears to have been the strong-hold of the 
species in the not very distant past, and numbers have been secured there. In habit, this 
Duck resembles other Sea Ducks, feeding largely upon mollusks which are procured by 
diving. At present, the Labrador Duck is a great desideratum in collections, there being 
but few specimens in the country. 
SOMATERIA MOLISSIMA. 
Eider Duck. 
K.omateria molissima Leach, Flemming, Philos., Zool.; 1822. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, slightly swollen at base and fleshy covering projects backward on either 
side. Tertiaries, curved outward. Color. Adult male. Head and neck all around, upper breast, and entire upper 
surface, white. Narrow margin at base of bill, forehead, and line through eye to nape, black, while the white behind and 
below the line, is glossed with emerald green. Beneath, black with the axillaries white. Primaries, very dark-brown. 
The white beneath and on the wings is overwashed with creamy. Bill and feet, greenish, iris, brown. 
Adult female. Reddish-brown throughout, transversely banded everywhere, excepting on wings, with dark-brown. 
Tertiaries, tipped with white. Young. Similar to adult female. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known by the peculiar fleshy process projecting backward at base of bill, large size, and colors as described. Distrib¬ 
uted in summer from Grand Menan, northward; wintering from New Jersey, northward. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 25 - 00; stretch, 40-50; wing, 11*40, tail, 
4'25; bill, 2’40; tarsus, l - 62. Longest specimen, 26'25; greatest extent of wing, 42-00; longest wing, 1150; tail, 4 50: bill, 
2 - 50: tarsus, 1‘75. Shortest specimen, 24 - 00; smallest extent of wing, 39-00; shortest wing, 1P25; tail, 4'00; bill, 2'25; tar¬ 
sus, 1'50. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground near water, composed of sticks, weeds, down, etc. Eggs, six to ten in number, ellipitcal 
in form, and ashy-green in color. Dimensions from I - 98x2-82 to 2 - 10x3-20. 
HABITS. 
The well known Eider Ducks are found off our coast in winter in considerable num¬ 
bers, especially in the waters of the sounds on the southern shore of Massachusetts. They 
feed principally upon mollusks, and being quite large birds, swallow good sized bivalves, 
several species of which I have frequently taken from their stomachs. I found these birds 
