256 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Hemispheres. The adult male in summer has the head, 

 neck, upper part of breast, and upper back, white; eyes, 

 surrounded with a greyish tinge; a large patch of dark 

 brown on each side of lower scapulars, elongated and white; 

 back, rump, wings, tail and upper tail-coverts, deep brown; 

 two central tail-feathers which are narrow and much elon- 

 gated, brown; outer rectrices, white; flanks, washed with 

 grey ; breast, dark brown ; below, white ; irides, reddish- 

 brown; bill at basal half and nail, black ; remainder, orange- 

 red ; legs and feet, deep slate-grey. Length, without central 

 tail-feathers, about twenty-two inches. The adult female 

 lacks the elongated rectrices. 



Common Scoter. 



The Common Scoter i^Fuligula nigra^ Linnaeus) is an 

 autumn and winter visitor to the British Islands, breeding 

 very locally in Scotland ; it is also found inhabiting the 

 whole of the Northern Palearctic Region. The adult male 

 has the whole of the plumage rich glossy black; irides, 

 hazel; bill, black, with central ridge of upper mandible 

 deep yellow ; legs and feet, blackish, webs of a darker 

 hue. Length, from eighteen to twenty inches. The adult 

 female has the prevailing colouration of the plumage of a 

 brownish tinge; knob on bill hardly perceptible. The 

 young are similar to adult female, but under parts are 

 mottled with whitish. (P. 257.) 



