VELVET DUCK. 421 



The Velvet Dack is said to return late to its breeding 

 quarters in Sweden, the eggs being sometimes found fresh 

 as late as the beginning of July. In April they are seen, in 

 cloudy weather more particularly, proceeding steadily on 

 wing in large flocks towards their northern destination. 

 At these times they fly low in an irregular angular phalanx, 

 making a straight course just outside of the land, and are 

 perfectly silent and intent on their voyage. In the spring 

 of 1831, I saw them thus migrating by thousands, though 

 not more than 12 to 20 associate in any one flock. They 

 proceed in all probability to the very extremity of the Union, 

 in the course of the winter, are very abundant in the 

 Bay of Chesapeake, being usually accompanied by the 

 Scoters, and are taken sometimes in the same nets with 

 them. With the other dark species of this subgenus they 

 are here known by the appellation of Coots, and these are 

 distinguished by the name of the White-Winged kind. 

 Whether from their nocturnal habits or what other cause, I 

 cannot pretend to say, when they have been seen in Fresh 

 Pond, which they sometimes visit, at least the young, their 

 heads have been observed nodding, as though they were op- 

 pressed by sleep ; and we sometimes here have a saying of 

 being as sleepy as a Coot. The flesh of the old bird is strong, 

 dark, and sedgy, yet they are much sought after in this 

 quarter, and often exposed for sale in the market, particu- 

 larly the young birds whose flavor is more tolerable. They 

 arrive in this vicinity from the north about the close of 

 September, and according to Richardson, spend some time 

 on the coasts of Hudson's Bay and the lakes of the interior 

 previous to their departure for the south. 



The Velvet Duck is about 2 feet l^^ inches in length ; the wing 

 10 inches 9 lines ; the bill above, 1 inch 7 lines ; the tarsus 1 inch 

 10^ lines : alar stretch 3 feet. The male is of a deep and velvety 

 black. Beneath the eyes and at the posterior angle there is a white 



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