242 BIRDS. 



no farther south than Norfolk, half-a-dozen times only in 

 Ireland, and rather more frequently in Scotland and the 

 isles. It is distinguished from the other by the presence 

 of a large red tubercle at the base of the bill. 



Steller^s Eider. — A smaller species which has wandered 

 from arctic regions on two occasions only, both to our 

 east coast. 



The " common " Scoter, a winter visitor to our east and 

 south coasts, breeds in Caithness, Ross, and elsewhere in 

 t Black the Highlands. It is uniformly black, about 

 Scoter, i^g Qjjiy touch of colouring being the orange 

 line along the top of the bill. Like most ducks, this bird 

 does not breed until late in May. Nest near inland water. 

 Eggs, 6 to 8, 2 J^ inches ; brownish white. 



The Velvet Scoter, a winter visitor from the North, oc- 

 curring in small numbers on our east coasts, is believed to 

 + Velvet breed in certain spots in the North of Scot- 

 Scoter, land, but on slight evidence. It has also been 

 observed in the west of Ireland in summer and in breed- 

 ing plumage. It differs from the last in having a white 

 patch behind the eye, and a more conspicuous white bar 

 on the wings. It has been captured in the salmon-nets. 



Surf-scoter. — A North American bird, which has strayed 

 to the Scottish isles on several occasions, and, more rarely, 

 to the English and Irish coasts. There is no white about 

 its plumage, which is deep black, save two patches, one on 

 the forehead, the other on the back of the neck. 



The Smew, or " Nun," is a not uncommon visitor to 

 the unfrequented waters near the sea on our south coast, 

 though, as a rule, it is more likely to be met 

 with at some little distance out at sea; and 

 I have steamed near it, forgathering with pochards, in 

 November, about three miles south-west of Plymouth. In 

 his full plumage, the male is a handsome black-and-white 



