SCOTER 



33^ 



lower portion of the back and the tail are black ; while a chevron on 

 the throat, a horseshoe at the base of the beak, and a spot below each 

 eye are also black. With the exception of the swollen beak, the drake, 

 when in the non- breeding; dress, becomes like the duck ; the latter 

 being very similar to that of the true eider, althou<,d-i distinguishable 

 by her smaller size, redder colour, and the nature of the feathers on 

 the back. On account of the marked difference in the plumage and 

 colouring, the species is frequently referred to a separate genus, under 

 the name of Erionetta spectabilis. 



Scoter ^^^^ '^^^ group of the diving ducks is represented by 



(CEdemia nigra) half-a-dozen marine Arctic species easily recognised 

 by the uniformly dark colour of their plumage, and 

 all included in a single genus. Of these the typical member is the one 

 to which the name scoter properly belongs ; this title being apparently 

 akin to the word scoiiter and scotit, and referring to the fact that these 

 ducks come in the 

 van of the great 

 southerly migration 

 of sea-birds. In 

 ordinary plumage the 

 scoter-drake is uni- 

 formly black ; the 

 greatly swollen beak 

 being also sable, with 

 the exception of a 

 patch of orange- 

 yellow along the 

 middle ridge ; while 

 the legs and toes are 

 green, with slate- 

 coloured webs to the 

 latter. The non- 

 breeding plumage, if scotek. 

 such is ever assumed, 



is still unknown. The duck differs from her partner not only by the 

 absence of any swelling at the base of the beak, which is uniformly 

 coloured, but also by her dark brown dress. Very interesting is the 

 fact that in the young bird the cheeks and sides and part of the neck 

 are dull greyish white, while the under-parts are mottled with white 

 and brown, thus showing that the dark livery of the adults is an acquired 



