512 ANATID^. 



THE KING DUCK. 



SOMATERIA SPECTABILIS. 



Prolongations of the bill elevated, orange colour; head and neck variegated 

 with black, grey, and green ; upper part of the neck, wing-coverts and back, 

 white; breast white tinged with buff; rest of the plumage black; bill red ; 

 legs yellow. Female distinguished from the Eider by the prolongations of the 

 bill being nearly vertical, instead of horizontal. Length twenty-four inches 

 and a half. Eggs greenish white. 



The habits of the King Duck resemble so closely those of 

 the Eider Duck as to render any separate description 

 unnecessary. The principal difference is that the range 

 of the former does not extend so far to the south. It 

 does not, consequently, breed in Great Britain ; indeed, the 

 instances in which it has been seen at all in the British 

 Isles are exceedingly few. In the extreme north it is 

 frequent, and here it is of great value to arctic voyagers, 

 often affording them a supply of fresh food. 



THE VELVET SCOTER. 



OID^MIA FUSCA. 



General plumage velvet black ; below the eyes a white crescent ; speculum 

 white ; bill orange, protuberance at the base, nostrils and edge of mandibles, 

 black ; irides and feet red, the membranes of the latter black. Female 

 smaller ; upper plumage sooty brown ; under parts light grey, streaked and 

 spotted with dusky brown ; between the biU and eye a whitish spot, and 

 another over the ear ; bill dusky ash ; irides brown, feet dull red. Length 

 twenty-three inches. Eggs buif. 



The Velvet Scoter, an inhabitant of the extreme northern 

 regions of Asia and Europe, appears in the British Isles 

 as a winter visitor only, being sometimes seen on the 

 eastern coast of Scotland, in large flocks, but not generally 

 extending its migration to our southern shores except in 

 the severest weather. It may be distinguished from the 

 Common Scoter by its larger size, and yet more strikingly 

 by the conspicuous white bar across the wing. 



The habits and food of the Velvet Duck differ in no 

 material respect from those of the Common Scoter, or 

 Black Duck. 



