b. Hind toe with a loose membrane Feed principally on the contents of bivalve shells, and on fish.
A. mollissima, Lin. &c. Eider, Edder, or St. Cuthbert's Duck, Great Black and IVIiite Duck, of Edwards. Prov. Duntra, Duntur Goose, or Colk. Base of the bill laterally prolonged into two flattened plates, bill and legs greenish ash. Length, from twenty-two to twenty-four inches; size about double that of the common duck, and weight six or seven pounds.
This species inhabits the high and icy latitudes of Eu rope, Asia, and America, and feeds chiefly on testaceous animals and fish. They are very abundant during summer, in all the islands situated in the Greenland sea, and are also met with, solitary, or in pairs, near the ice, at great distances from land. When near the coasts, they fly in large flocks, and generally arrange themselves in a regular form. Their appearance in great numbers is an indication of the prox imity of land. They are capable of protracted flights in the day-time, but generally return to their stations at night. They are rarely, if ever, seen in the south of England, but they breed in the north of Scotland, on Papa Westra, one of the Orkneys, on the Hebrides, the Fern Isles, on the coast of Northumberland, &c. in June and July. Two or three pair occasionally breed on Inchcolm, in the Frith of Forth ; but the jackdaws frequently destroy the young. On the lonely islet of Suliskerry and its Stack,•situated in the Atlantic Ocean. about forty miles westward from Hoy head in the Orkneys, this species has maintained its resi dence at least since the days of Buchanan, who gives a lively and elegant, rather than an accurate description of its appearance and habits. The nest is made on the ground, composed of marine plants, and lined with down, of exqui site fineness, which the female plucks from her own body. The eggs are usually four, of a pale olive green, and rather larger than those of a common duck. About Iceland, the eider ducks generally build their nests on small islands not far from the shore, and sometimes even near the dwellings of the natives, who treat them with so much attention and kindness as to render them nearly tame. Two females will
sometimes lay their eggs in the same nest; in which case they always agree remarkably well. As long as the female is sitting, the male continues on watch near the shore, but as soon as the young are hatched, he leaves them. The mother, however, remains with them a considerable time longer ; and it is curious to observe her attention in leading them out of the nest, almost as soon as they creep from the eggs. Having conducted them to the water's edge, she takes them on her back, and swims a few yards with them, when she dives, and leaves them on the surface to take care of themselves ; and they are seldom afterwards seen on land. When the natives come to the nest, they carefully remove the female, and take away the superfluous down and eggs. They then replace the mother, and she begins to lay afresh, covering the eggs with new down ; and when she can afford no more, the male comes to her assistance, and covers the eggs with his down, which is white. When the young ones leave the nest, it is once more plundered. The best down and most eggs are got during the first three weeks of their laying ; and it has been generally observed, that they lay the greatest number of eggs in rainy weather. One female, during the time of laying, usually yields half a pound of down, which, however, is reduced one half after it is cleaned. It is extremely soft and warm, and so light and elastic, that two handfuls squeezed together are sufficient to fill a covering, which is used in the cold coun tries instead of a common quilt or blanket. According to an observation of Mr. Cartwright, these birds fly at the rate of ninety miles an hour. In spring they swim in flocks; and in a fine day his very pleasing to see two or three dozen of them sailing by. Being very thick of feathers, they sit high on the water, which adds to the gracefulness of their appearance. Their flesh is valued as food, and their skins are made into warm and comfortable under garments.