VELVET SCOTER. 479 



The Velvet Scoter is one of the hitest breeders, seldom 

 having eggs before the beginning of July. The nest is 

 placed in a dry spot, often at a considerable distance from 

 water, in a mere depression under some bush or tree, and 

 lined with leaves and down. The eggs, about eight in 

 number, are rather large, of a clear creamy-white, and 

 average 2*75 by 1*9 in. 



From its habits of diving rather than flying when 

 approached, the Velvet Scoter sometimes becomes entangled 

 in the meshes of the nets of our sea fishermen ; and it is 

 also occasionally caught in the stake nets set for salmon, as 

 noticed by Selby, who mentions that in those he had dissected, 

 the gizzard, which was large and strong, was filled with the 

 remains of shelly mollusks, intermixed with the spawn of 

 fish or crustaceans. It frequents soundings in flocks of ten 

 or twelve, generally feeding in the middle or deep water, and 

 in the stream of the tide. It is remarkably shy, and great 

 caution is required in approaching it. Its flesh is in no 

 estimation. 



The adult male has the beak pale orange, based and 

 edged with black, a diagonal line of the same colour run- 

 ning from each nostril to the nail of the beak ; the irides 

 chalk-white ; the eyelids and a small j^atch behind each 

 eye white ; the ends of the secondary quill-feathers white, 

 forming a conspicuous bar across the wing ; all the rest of 

 the plumage uniform velvet-black ; the legs and toes dull 

 crimson-red, the intervening membranes nearly black. The 

 total length is twenty-two inches ; from the point of the wing 

 to the end of the longest quill-feather, ten inches and three- 

 quarters. Weight about 4^ lbs. 



In the female, the basal prominence of the bill is much 

 less elevated, and the colour of the whole bill is dusky. 

 The irides are brown ; the legs and feet are paler than in the 

 male ; the general colour of the plumage is a sooty-brown ; 

 the breast and abdomen lighter ; there are two whitish spots 

 on each side of the head, one near the base of the upper 

 mandible, the other behind the eye ; the secondary quills 

 are white, as in the male. Weight about 3 lbs. 



